1025 FM
by whoknoez
Summary: Inuyasha is a shock jock that discusses the most trivial to the most controversial issues. Wildly popular, he is unknown to the public eye. He meets Kagome then starts to report on his own relationship with her over the air... Full summary inside!
1. Clubbing

Disclaimer: This isn't mine. Not mine. No. No. God, I wish it was yes.

**wk:** Okay, so this is a new story I'm writing. A writer's block seems to have created this. Hm. Go figure. I thought it was an interesting idea to try out. But if it doesn't work out, I'm going to remove it. Okay, so here's the **_summary_**:

Inuyasha is a radio host, but no one knows who "Hanyou" is except Miroku, Sango, and a few select people in the building he works at. He tries to keep his identity a secret, because he doesn't want to have a responsibility-led life with reporters and having to attend different meetings and the sort. In short, he doesn't want a hassle. Kagome is also a businesswoman... kinda. She does all sorts of stuff for her company, but she's growing. The president, Myouga (Yes, the flea... Times have changed) favors her and is attached to her. She has great potential in his eyes, and is starting to show it in the company. Kagome and Inuyasha will meet in the club, and Inuyasha, who scoffs at the idea of love, finds himself infatuated with the girl. He reports on his own progress of his love on the radio, making whoever is listening enraptured to the romance unfolding. They still don't know who Inuyasha is, or who he's seeing, but the story is enough.

Umm... If you didn't understand that, and want a more succinct summary, here it is:

Inuyasha happens to be a controversial radio host. He talks about the latest things, and discusses everything he dislikes... which happens to be, everything. He is wildly popular, his radio show being listened to by nearly all the world's populations and causing many debates worldwide. He scorns love most of all, and even writes a bestseller book about how love is overrated, but then one day... He meets Kagome. There's another catch: no one knows what Inuyasha looks like. No one knows he's half-demon. Unknown to Kagome, their own relationship is broadcasted by Inuyasha. At first, he scorns his own passionate relationship with her. Then... =)

That's the one in my profile.

Okay, so that's most of the story. I'm trying to figure out how I can put Naraku as the antagonist in this story, and I'll think of some way. Please read and offer constructive criticism in the reviews. Of course, you don't even have to review. Just EnJoY!

**Chapter One  
Clubbing**

"Okay, this is 102.5. Welcome to the afternoon part of our show. Now it's--"

"Geez, you talk too much. Hanyou here. Wanna get to the calls right now, or later?"

"Well, since you're so patient, I suppose we could wait another--"

"Not on your life, asshole. Okay, caller number one. What kind of question will you ask to start off our daily discussions?"

"Well, Hanyou, I was wondering about your name. Doesn't Hanyou mean half-demon?" Inuyasha sighed and frowned.

"How very perceptive of you. What's your name?" Inuyasha asked, half-bored.

"Stephen."

"Well, Stephen, yes, it _does _mean half-demon. I'm a human, but women like to call me a demon in bed. Therefore, it become half-demon and half-human," Inuyasha drawled. So he was lying. But he didn't want anyone to know his identity. Miroku raised an eyebrow at him from across the table.

"Oh, wow…"

"Wow is right, little Stephen." Inuyasha hung up on him, and picked up another call. "Okay, Stephen is gone, so here's caller number two."

"Well, Hanyou, I have a question. What do you think of Iraq's current status in kidnapping people and beheading them?" Inuyasha was silent for only a second.

"What do you _think_ I think of it? Like some kind of (beep)ed up merry-go-round? They're demented, they don't like the United States, and they don't like other nationalities except their own in their country. The United States president isn't exactly handling everything all peachy, either. Sending armies there wasn't the best course of action. Now, there might have been a civil war, hadn't the U.S. intervened, but maybe that would have been better. The United States, for instance, was better unified and able to stand on their own two feet after their own civil war."

"But what about their threat about jihad? And the nuclear weapons?"

"So it's just one big violent circle. If we leave, they bomb us. If we stay, they bomb us. However, even at the risk of their nuclear weapons, don't you think we should be trying to convince the people over there that people are mostly good and not bad? The U.S. President should be trying to sway them from their animosities, not making them stronger. It only makes them more… _determined_ to bomb and kill and behead all they want."

"I see the truth in your words, but--" Inuyasha hung up on him. So what if he was close-minded?

"Okay, he hung up. Next caller."

"This is Lina." Inuyasha rolled his eyes. God save him from women.

"Yes, Lina?"

"There's this boy… and I think I'm in love with him. But he's basically a _pimp_! He sleeps around a lot, and I've heard he always cheats on his girlfriends, but… he can be so _nice _and _sweet _to me that--"

"Okay," Inuyasha interrupted her, becoming nauseated. "Looks like you're the somewhat stupid one in this one-sided relationship."

"Now wait a minute. I--"

"No. You _are_. There's no 'somewhat' about it. It's because girls always fall for guys like him that they are given the 'bad boy' reputations. And what do girls want? Bad boys. It's not love. It's a hopeless infatuation that you need to get over. If you _really _loved a guy like that, you would have some of that aspect in yourself, I think. So, are you a slut who cheats on her man all the time?"

"No! But--" Inuyasha hung up on her. Females were hopeless. He gave a rueful laugh on the mike.

"Well, that was completely pointless. Girls, if you need a man to warm your bed, then _that's _when you go for men such as the one that Lina described. A one-nighter. But, if you're looking for love… Ah, well, _is _there such a thing as love? I think there's obsession and self-deprecating infatuations. Maybe it's because I've never experienced such a strong feeling for a woman before. I don't expect to, either. Now, enough of that shit, who's the next caller?"

"This is Peter."

"Okay Peter. Shoot your question."

"Well, Hanyou, here's a question. Why are you an asshole?"

Inuyasha chuckled. "Because I'm so good at it. Okay, next caller."

"This is Leslie..."

And that's how the day droned on. Inuyasha continued to answer questions, and get people pissed off. At five, he got up to leave, his messenger bag on his shoulder. Miroku took over for an hour now, before he went home as well. Sango, the technician for their show, stayed as long as Miroku did, and left with him.

Inuyasha got a bottle of water from the machine outside, downing it immediately. He sighed, going out of the back of the building, making sure that people didn't see him. Miroku, his lifetime best friend, had brought him to this place just to see what it was like to be a radio host. Inuyasha's working here was actually a fluke. He was in the same room as Miroku, and while callers called and asked their questions, he had supplied sarcastic and demeaning comments. One had heard and challenged Inuyasha to talk the whole show. He did, and the result was a secret job here. With a hefty income, he might add.

Now, he would go home, relax, and sleep. Maybe go to a club… Should he? He _was _really tired. His human half was asleep, but his demon half was roaring with might and activity. Sighing, he decided he would go to a club, if only to exhaust himself. He got into his car, making extra sure no one else saw. He drove away, going to his apartment to get ready. If he was going to go clubbing tonight, then that meant he wouldn't get in until the wee hours of the morning. He decided to call Miroku and Sango as well, to come and join him for some fun. Maybe he would take a nap for an hour, just to rejuvenate himself a bit. He smiled at the thought of a lovely little shuteye.

* * *

"Mother, honestly! I don't need to get a man," Kagome said, sighing as she sat back in her chair, on the phone. "No, I don't, mother. I'm perfectly fine without a dominating man in my life. No, I don't think I'm too independent. I don't _care _if you want grandchildren! Ask Souta to father some children then. Yes, mother, I was just joking. I don't think he's doing anything like that yet. Okay, goodbye mother. I'll talk to you later." She was an office worker in a cell phone company. Mostly she did menial, dull tasks. Sometimes she answered phones in a cubicle of a worker who didn't show. Other times, she just signed papers with the approval of the president of the company. She was, in fact, pretty low in ranks, but was slowly rising to a good status. The president, Myouga, favored her. He was a small, little old flea demon. Kagome thought of him as her second grandfather. Her real, biological grandfather was a little crazy in the head.

"Kagome, I would love it if you had coffee with me," Kouga said. Kouga worked with her, and she had caught his eye as he saw the president talking informally and casually with Kagome. He had learned of Kagome's growing status in the company, and had tried to get her in his bed since. She rolled her eyes at him.

"Kouga, I'm really not interested." Kagome strolled off, not giving him a second glance over her shoulder.

"Playing hard to get, I see," Kouga muttered, a smirk on his lips. Something was stinging the back of his neck, and he slapped at it. He snarled at whatever was in his hand. His teeth disappeared however, as he lowered his head in submission to the president. Flattened, Myouga puffed himself out, huffing.

"No respect," Myouga muttered from Kouga's hand.

"My apologies," Kouga murmured. Myouga was looking at him over his long, hooked nose.

"Kouga, I see you're trying to court Kagome." Myouga inspected his own fingers while casually waiting for an answer.

"Yes, sir. I think I'm falling in love with her," Kouga said solemnly. Myouga's eyebrow was raised, and he started to scoff.

"Boy, you don't know what love is yet. Until you do, keep your grubby wolfy paws off of Kagome." Kouga grit his teeth, but kept his eyes lowered and his head down. _I'll get her either way, you fool. No love or love, I'll get what she has. I deserve it, anyway._

Kagome walked out of the building, a black leather messenger bag similar to Inuyasha's over her shoulder. Unaware of the dispute going on about her between the president of the company with her fellow co-worker, she went to her car. It was a light silver. She was attached to the color, and she had fallen in love with the car. It wasn't too fast, but it wasn't slow. It was, essentially, a car.

Kagome slid into the seat, placing her bag in the passenger seat. She was done with work for the day, and she wanted to unwind and relax. She was planning on going home and just calling Eri, Ayumi, and Yuka. They would have a good idea to help her relax. Either that, or a really, really, _really_ bad idea that would end up stressing her to no ends. Oh well. It was a win-lose situation. It could go either way.

She drove home, thinking to call them and possibly have a night of fun. She hadn't been able to relax since… Well, she couldn't remember the last time she relaxed and had fun, but since Myouga had given her the rest of the day off, she figured instead of sitting around at home and eating ice cream, she would call her friends, and get drunk. Crazy, impossibly, drunk. Enough to give her a splitting, throwing up hangover the next day. Okay, maybe not throwing up. That went a little too far, she thought.

Oh, well, whatever helped her forget that her life was meaningless and she was going to dive off a cliff if it didn't get interesting. If she could forget that, she figured she met her goal for her lifetime.

She arrived at her small, two-bedroom house in her suburban neighborhood. She was going to place an ad in the newspaper for a roommate, since she didn't know if she could pay the bills for the electricity and stuff anymore. She just had to make sure first that Kouga didn't look at the paper. He would, of course, jump at the chance to sleep across the room from her. She rolled her eyes mentally. He was, unavoidably, starting to get irritating to handle.

She walked into her house, picking up the cordless phone. She dialed Eri, who three-wayed Ayumi, who four-wayed Yuka. She groaned as they started to think up solutions to her "need to get drunk" problem.

"We'll be over now!" Kagome thought they might have broken some speeding laws to get to her house in less than five minutes. Eager beavers, they were. They shoved past her into her house, arguing and glaring at each other. When they sat down on the couch, Kagome wearily sat down on the floor.

"Well, we definitely have to go to a bar, but a _good _bar. Let's go to a club, so you can dance and drink at the same time, and meet a _cute _guy! It's been forever since you went on a date! Let's do it!" It didn't matter what she thought. She didn't know why she called them. She should have just gone alone.

"But I don't _want _a cute--"

"Nonsense, Kagome. All work and no play makes 'Gome a dull girl." Yuka pulled her to her feet then dragged her to her room, following Ayumi and Eri. They shoved her into a snug black sheath and a three-quarter sleeved shirt with flowing sleeves. They attached dangling earrings into her ears and put up her hair so that it was put up messily, but looked sexy. Few strands came down, and then they applied the lip-gloss.

"Kagome, you poor soul. What would you do without us?" Ayumi asked airily, shoving Kagome outside and into Eri's car.

"Probably a whole lot more," Kagome grumbled. They all piled in, Eri driving.

"Which club?" Ayumi asked from the front seat.

"Oh, I have a choice?" Kagome asked sarcastically. She sighed. She was being really bitchy. Maybe she was going to have her period soon.

"Let's go to the club we went to two weeks ago… You know… what was it called… Oh yeah, it was called 'Crystal'!" Yuka suggested. Kagome sighed. Then again, bitchiness could usually be justified.

"I want to go to 'Star'" Kagome said. The other girls overrode her as they all shook their heads fiercely.

"Girl, you need to get _drunk_," Eri said, glancing in the rearview mirror at Kagome. Kagome scowled.

"I don't see the difference of the places, as long as I have a sip of alcohol. You know that's all it really takes to get me wasted!" Kagome said. Ayumi rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, but how many _cute _guys are there? Except for the bartender… he was kinda cute!" Kagome wrinkled her nose.

"The bartender? You mean Taka?" She shook her head. "He's cute, but I think he's a bit too dumb." Ayumi looked back at her, looking stricken. Kagome held up appeasing hands, muttering apologies nervously. Ayumi looked happy again as she looked to the front once more.

They arrived at Crystal, and Kagome felt the beat of the music coursing up her feet all the way to her brain. They walked in, Ayumi finding a small table for them. They all sat down, except for Kagome. They didn't allow her to sit down; telling her to dance until the drinks arrived. She nearly hissed at them in a bad temper until she relented. She moved a little to the beat, walking to the middle of the dance floor, her hands automatically going up as she started to move her body.

A guy was automatically there, holding onto her waist as he moved himself against her. She moved sensually, not even really noticing that he was there. It was a black-haired guy, and he smiled at her when she looked at his face.

"What's your name?" he asked. She looked wary as she gave him the once-over. His dancing looked as if he was trying to make his body flow to the music, but he was jerky, like he'd never danced before and was only copying her movements. He was smiling like an innocent schoolboy, but she watched enough movies to be on guard.

"Kyra," she said suddenly. It was a fake name, but she wasn't about to risk her life to this weirdo.

"My name's Hojo," he shouted over the music. She nodded.

"Nice to meet you," she yelled back. Suddenly, Ayumi was at her elbow.

"I hate to interrupt, but your drink is at your table," Ayumi shouted. Kagome nodded and Ayumi pulled her away, leaving Hojo to dance jerkily by himself. Kagome looked at him over her shoulder, thinking, _Nice but no cigar. Definitely no cigar._

Kagome went back to the small table, sitting down. "So who was _that _cutie?" Ayumi asked as soon as her butt hit the seat. Kagome rolled her eyes.

"Nobody."

"Aw, come on Kagome. You could have at least given him a chance." Kagome sighed. Why was she being so surly? Ever since her talk with her mother, she had been in a bad mood. The run-in with Kouga didn't help either. Usually, she was able to avoid him. Today, she just wasn't thinking straight. _Maybe a drink _will _help me. I guess I can give it a try… _She downed the drink, tipping the glass back and gulping it down. The other girls hooted, laughing as Kagome got up again.

"Oh, shoot, I should never have done that," Kagome whined as her head spun. Ayumi, Eri and Yuka all gave each other looks. They wouldn't take their eyes off of her for one second.

"Hon, maybe you should sit down and drink some milk to help slow down the alcohol," Ayumi suggested. Kagome waved her hand, going back to the dance floor. They all watched as she gave herself to the music, and men started to pour in her direction. A drunk girl with a nice body and a pretty face-- It wasn't the best combination in a club.

Kagome laughed at something a guy whispered in her ear, not because it was funny, but because it tickled. She moved away from him, bumping into another guy. He instantly grabbed her around the waist, making her move with him. She frowned, not liking him. She shoved away from him, and continued to dance. Drunkenness seemed to remove a lot of her inhibitions as she moved with abandon, smiling up at the ceiling. _Wow, I'm having the time of my life! _None of the guys seemed to notice her slurring speech and her sluggish movements. None-- except for one.

* * *

**wk: **Okay, so that's the end of chapter one of my second Inuyasha story. I know I portrayed Kagome _really _out of character, but she'll be back to her cheery little self soon. She's just depressed that she doesn't have her perfect man. Don't worry Kags! He'll show up. (Wink) Okay, so I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of my story. Thanks!


	2. Drunk

Disclaimer: Not minee...

**wk: **Hi guys! Thanks so much for the reviews! I'm actually really proud of this story, because I wanted to come up with an idea that no one's tried yet. I thought of this story line all by my little self! I'm so proud of me. Okay, enough with the inflation of my ego and self-flattery. It will get me nowhere in life. Okay, so this is the second chapter. Kagome's still gonna be a _little _out of character. Okay, so maybe a lot. Either way, I'll have her to her unpessimistic, positive little Kagome in a few chapters... This is a really long chapter, since I actually wrote two chapters then merged them because I thought just one was too short. Hope you appreciate the effort! =)

I know it's taking me a long time to update for all of my stories, but... I have to work everyday this week, and I'm just tired when I get home. I managed to write this, and the next chapter to "Neighborly Love", but I'm so busy nowadays, I don't know how long until I can write at my usual speed again. Thanks for reading! I'll try to update soon.

**P.S. _READ END NOTE!!!!!!_**

**Chapter Two  
Drunk**

His nostrils flared. Underneath the smell of sweat and desire that was rising from the dance floor, there was a subtle hint of enticing vanilla. He sniffed again. And chocolate, as if the person had rubbed it into her skin before dancing. He also smelled alcohol laced into the scent, and he growled low in his throat.

He was at the club with Sango and Miroku after his hour-long nap, but they had gone off together, dancing. _Three makes a crowd_, Miroku had said. Inuyasha had rolled his eyes and had ordered a drink. But the scent had caught his attention. He had been sitting at the table, gazing down at the dance floor with fiery intensity.

"I can't believe she didn't like that guy," a girl giggled at the table next to his. "He looked like a perfectly decent guy."

"Oh, I know. I would definitely have gone for him. Wasn't his name Hojo?"

"Yeah it was. She totally brushed him off though! Did you just see her push a guy off of her? Look at her! She's crazy, I think. All these guys are coming on to her, and even drunk she's not going for any one of them!" Inuyasha moved his eyes off the dance floor to three girls sitting near him. Were they talking about the girl that he smelled? No wonder the scent was still close. She sat at the table next to his. He stood, moving to the dance floor. A couple of girls in half shirts tried to dance with him, but he shoved past them, following the scent.

"Damn, that girl is hot!" A guy near him exclaimed.

"I'm gonna try to dance with her."

"She's not letting anyone near her man. She's dancing all by herself." Inuyasha looked to where the guys were staring, and saw a beautiful girl, with hair pinned up and a sexy black skirt with a low-cut but non-revealing shirt. She was dancing, whirling away from the guys that tried to slide their body next to hers. She just laughed and pushed them away, throwing smiles and moving her body sluggishly. Inuyasha raised a brow. _So the seducing vixen is drunk? Interesting…_ He caught her gaze and she stopped dancing, looking at him curiously.

He was a little surprised, but grinned at his advantage. The guys were murmuring their disapproval of her choice, longing to be Inuyasha. Her lips curved enticingly, making his attention draw to her mouth. She crooked her finger at him, beckoning him. Her scent hit him, and it drew him to her, just as her finger did. She grabbed his hand, smiling teasingly at him.

"Let's dance!" she slurred, twirling. The beat was coursing through both their bodies, and she laughed with glee.

She's like a child, Inuyasha thought, a shock to him, but his hands went to her hips. _A really sexy kid…_ Kagome swayed her body, her hands going up to his shoulders to brace herself against a bout of dizziness. She suddenly whirled away from him, throwing him a look over her shoulder that set his blood on fire. The men around her slowly started to disappear as they noticed that she was paying attention only to the half-demon. They couldn't compete with him. He could rip out their throats and stomp it through the floor. Like helpless vultures that had realized their victim was still alive, they drifted away.

Kagome moved into his arms again, and looked up at him, her eyes glazed. Her hand went to his face, and her face screwed up in thought. "Your eyes are really, really pretty…" she laid her head on his chest, listening to his heart beat. He was shocked at the intimate gesture, but didn't push her off.

"Hey," Inuyasha shouted over the music. The vibrations of his voice went through her body, and she shuddered. He noticed her shiver and unconsciously wrapped an arm around her waist. "What's your name?"

"Kagome," she said, her nose going into his shirt, rubbing the middle of his chest, not remembering that he could kill her. He stiffened, looking down at her. She looked up at him, her eyes half closed.

"Mine's Inuyasha," he said when he noticed that she was waiting for something.

"You know," she smiled up at him, "I've never kissed anyone." Inuyasha had the second shock of the day served to him. Never been kissed? She was a virgin? She sure didn't look or act like one. Definitely didn't dance like one.

She laughed and her hands went up to cup his ears. He nearly groaned as she started to rub them. His eyes closed at the pleasurable sensations, and he pulled her closer. With her scent in his nose and her hands on his ears, he thought if someone came and shot him, he might have died happy.

Then she pulled on his ears and kissed him. He pulled back after a few seconds, his _third _shock of the day. His gaze heated as he watched her tongue come out to capture his lingering taste on her lips. She tried to pull him down again, but he resisted. She'd never been touched, and here she was, drunk and she chose _him _to take her first kiss?

"You don't like me?" she whispered. Somehow, he heard her above the loud music. He shook his head.

"I like you. But you don't want to give your first kiss away like that. You won't remember this, so pretend you didn't give it away yet," Inuyasha said to her, and moved to walk away from her. He had no interest in starting a relationship, especially with a drunken girl. She grabbed his shirt, not letting him go. He looked back at her, and swallowed hard.

She was the picture of femininity. Her lips were wet and shining, not from the lip-gloss she had applied earlier, but from his kiss. He could still taste her on his tongue. He was incredibly aroused, but he had his own morals. He would _not _take advantage of a drunken girl.

"Dance with me?" she asked. Inuyasha hesitated, but she pulled on his hand continuously, smiling at him and enticing him every second with her scent.

"Okay…" Immediately, she was up against his body, and he was glad that she was drunk, or else she would have felt something very inappropriate against her stomach. She looped her arms around his neck, and he placed his hands on her hips again. She was a bit sluggish still, but her own blood pounding and moving the alcohol faster through her bloodstream was helping clear her head a bit. They danced, moving intimately together.

At her table, her friends were flabbergasted. "…Did she just kiss him?" Ayumi asked.

"I think so," Eri replied.

"She couldn't have!" Yuka exclaimed.

"I think she did," Eri replied again.

"I can't believe she found such a _hot _guy and kissed him! Wasn't that her first kiss though?" Ayumi asked.

"Yes," Yuka answered.

"Man, I can't believe she found a man before I did, Eri said. She downed her drink, jealous of her lucky friends. All of them had a boyfriend except for her.

"He seems okay…" Yuka frowned, unsure of the safety. "We need to keep an eye on her anyway." Suddenly, Ayumi's cell phone rang, her phone vibrating and ringing, blinking its bright lights. Ayumi grabbed it, answering it.

"Hello?" She instantly paled as she listened to the voice on the other line. "Oh my God, I'll be right there!" Ayumi was crying as she hung up the phone. Eri and Yuka were comforting her, trying to find out what happened.

"Ayumi, what's wrong?" Yuka asked.

"My boyfriend's in the hospital! He got into a car accident! I need to get there right away! Let's go!" Ayumi said, tears streaking her face.

"But what about Kagome?" Ayumi paused, uncertainty tearing at her.

"I'll stay and watch Kagome," Eri volunteered, leaving Ayumi and Yuka to go. She handed Ayumi her keys. Ayumi, not thinking of how Eri and Kagome would get home, only gave a quick nod, and Yuka followed her out the doors. Eri sat down heavily, ordering another drink. What a bad way to end the day. She looked down at the dance floor. Kagome was wrapped all around the guy, moving her body against his. Well, at least one person was having a good time. She would be mad as hell when she remembered everything, or when they told her what happened, but until then, she was having a jolly good time.

Inuyasha continued to dance with Kagome, warding off any new males. If they tried to cut in, or tried to join their dancing, he would switch positions with her so that he was baring his teeth at them and glaring. Protectiveness of her was driving him, making him nearly mad with the terror of losing her to another male--

Why the hell should he be so terrified? He should let her dance with other guys. What did he care anyway? She was just a woman. As she ground herself against his erection, he grit his teeth and his vision hazed. A woman that was driving him mad. For an innocent, she sure didn't dance like one. Where the hell did she learn to dance like this? And he would think that she would have been raped by now if she danced like that with other guys. She laughed up at him, childishly pinching his cheek. He winced and moved her hand away.

"Just how many drinks _did _you have, Kagome?" Inuyasha asked. Kagome shrugged.

"One," she answered. He blanched. _One _drink and she was drunk as a bumblebee in a jar of honey! She tripped over her own feet, and he caught her, bringing her fully against his body. She sighed dreamily, looking up at him and smiling crookedly.

"You know, I think I want to have sex with you," Kagome said innocently. Inuyasha blanched again. What the hell was up with this girl? She was full of sexuality, but never actually had sex. She was childlike but danced like a vixen that was molded to tempt.

She moved so that she was on tiptoes, looking into his eyes as close as she could. He gulped at the close proximity, and she narrowed her eyes at him. He felt like he was just getting drunk on her scent, vanilla laced with chocolate. Without knowing what he was doing, he dipped his head and captured her lips with his. His tongue swept into her mouth this time, tasting her completely. She whimpered into his mouth and he felt a primitive satisfaction sweep through him as she yielded under him.

He could still taste the bitter alcohol on her tongue, and was becoming drunk-- not from the alcohol taste, but from her own wonderful flavor. His hands started to move of their own volition, going under her shirt to smooth themselves on her bare back. They had stopped moving, just tasting each other, taking, tasting, and feeling. Kagome's hands were on his chest, feeling the muscles bunch and flow under her hands. Finally, needing air, Kagome pulled away, breathing hard. She was leaning against him completely, trusting him to hold her weight along with his own. She put her head on his chest again, on top of her hands. She was dizzy, getting dizzier.

"I would definitely have sex with you," Kagome said, then passed out in his arms. Inuyasha stumbled a bit, but managed to drag her up against his body. He scowled down at the body. She made out with him then passed out in a drunken stupor? Damn her! He was hard as hell, and he didn't need this vulnerable girl right now. A girl he recognized from the table was at his elbow in an instant.

"I'll take her!" Eri tried to take Kagome's weight, but she weighed less and was slighter in build. She nearly dropped Kagome, but Inuyasha picked the girl up bridal style, frowning at Eri.

"Who are you?" he asked her. He knew that they had been talking about her, but that didn't mean she was trustworthy. _And I am?_

"I'm one of her best friends! Now if you don't mind--" She tried to take Kagome again, but Inuyasha frowned and moved so that she couldn't touch Kagome.

"Listen, I think you _are _one of her friends, but you can't carry her. If you tell me where your car is, I'll--"

"Oh no!" Eri wailed, remembering that Ayumi took her car. She grabbed her own hair in frustration. "Ayumi took my car because her boyfriend was in a car wreck!" Inuyasha sighed. It figured that this would happen to him. Meet hot drunk girl, meet her friend, then find out that there were two decisions: Let her friend take care of her and leave them to the hungry males, or give them a ride home. He could call a taxi for them, but he didn't trust taxis. He hated taxis. But what about Miroku and Sango? Oh, wait, they came in Miroku's car.

"I'll take you," Inuyasha said heavily, shifting Kagome's weight a little. Eri brightened, but then glowered.

"You can't. You're a stranger," Eri reasoned. Inuyasha lifted a brow and Eri pursed her lips.

"Okay, but only because Kagome seemed to like you," Eri said irrationally. Inuyasha thought she should be dead by now, if that's the way her though process worked. Because _Kagome _liked him? She was drunk for God's sake! But still, he wasn't going to provide an argument. The sooner they left, the better. He wanted nothing more than to dump these girls where they needed to be.

He shoved past people, making sure that Kagome was tucked securely and not bumping into any random things. He made it out of the club, waiting for Eri to appear since she had gone in the direction of her table to retrieve her purse.

She came running out, and he walked towards his car. A midnight blue, it nearly blended in with the dark surroundings. He placed Kagome in the back seat, and watched as she shifted into a more comfortable position, the skirt hiking up her thigh. He tore his eyes away and slid into the driver's seat. Eri was already there, buckled up. Inuyasha started the car, and pulled out. Eri quietly gave him partial directions, telling him when to turn left or right.

"My name's Eri," she said after a moment of silence. Inuyasha hesitated in telling his name.

"Inuyasha," he said gruffly. There was silence again, but Eri's cell phone broke it. She answered, and instantly they could both hear a sobbing.

"Ayumi? What happened? Is Tama okay?" Inuyasha heard a wailing with his acute ears, making out the words, "no" and "dead". He fought hard not to eavesdrop as Eri gasped.

"He _what_?" Eri listened for another minute before turning to Inuyasha apologetically.

"The hospital, I know," Inuyasha said, looking for a place to make a U-turn. He drove to the hospital, and Eri was wringing her hands in her lap, twisting her own skirt until it was a wrinkled mess. As soon as he braked, she muttered a "Thanks," and ran out, slamming the door behind her. He opened the window with a button on the driver's door.

"What the hell am I supposed to do with Kagome?" Eri wheeled around at the question, running back to him.

"Oh, she's going to kill me when she wakes up but…" She quickly scribbled something on a piece of paper with a pen from his glove compartment. "Call me tomorrow morning and I'll come and pick her up! Just keep her with you tonight please!" She ran into the hospital. He stared at the piece of paper on the passenger side of his car.

What the hell had just happened? A car beeped behind him, and he quickly stepped on the gas. Kagome shifted in the backseat again, but Inuyasha refused to look at her. She was the source of all his problems tonight. Dammit, all he wanted to do was give them a ride home, but it looked like he was stuck with the chit.

He called the number on the piece of paper now, but he only got the voicemail. The bitch had turned her cell phone off! Probably to keep the doctors from getting distracted, but dammit! He drove to his house, and parked, hesitating. Did he just leave her there in the backseat? He didn't want to do that. She would freeze to death. Or suffocate to death. Or get raped. Or get murdered.

"I'm doing this for your own protection," Inuyasha muttered as he opened the back door. He pulled her out, and she mumbled something. Ignoring her, he lifted her like a baby in his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist, and his arm going under her bottom to keep her in place.

He closed the door with his foot, and went to his apartment. He scowled as he tried to figure out a way to unlock his door. He shifted her weight to one arm, and dug in his pocket for his keys. He retrieved them and pulled them out. He unlocked the door and went in, automatically going toward his bedroom after toeing his shoes off.

He practically threw the girl on his wide bed, and moved to go out of the room. He noticed her heels however, and sighed. He moved towards the bed, and bent a little to get the shoes off, but one of them came toward his face, kicking out. He quickly moved to the side, evading the blow. He looked down at the face, but noticed that she still looked peaceful. Probably kicked out in her dream or something. He bent down again, more wary. This time she didn't kick out. He slid the heels off of her feet, then took them to his front door where he threw them down.

He went back to his room, opening his closet. He pulled out a sleeping bag, and wondered where he should sleep. Tired from all his weight handling and dancing, he just laid it out on the floor. _Besides, _he thought, _I can look after her this way… _He slipped into the bag, sighing as he curled his body and went into a light sleep.

An hour later, something heavy landed on him waking him from his sound sleep. He looked down and groaned when he saw the top of Kagome's head. She lifted her head and looked at him blearily, and smiled. He shook his head slightly, staring at the ceiling. Was she _still _drunk?

"Hey, 'Yasha. You know what?" Inuyasha sighed.

He decided to indulge her. "No. What?"

She peeled down the cover of the sleeping bag, and he was instantly, fully awake. She leaned down and nipped his lower lip before he had a chance to move, and she smiled. "I still want to have sex with you." Inuyasha growled low at her words, feeling himself becoming aroused. She paused at her task of removing the sleeping bag, and decided to just lie down on top of him.

He wouldn't dare have sex with this girl. That would cause too many problems for him, if her friends found out or if she figured it out in the morning, or-- It was just a really bad idea. So why was he so turned on?

"Inuyasha, I feel like I've known you _this _long," Kagome said, suddenly sitting astride his chest, spreading her arms out in a gesture of how long she felt she had known him. She suddenly paused, looking around and frowning. "Where are we?"

"My place," Inuyasha said huskily, his hands moving to her thighs. She noticed the warm sensation on her skin and smiled down at him.

"For this, right?" she slurred slightly. Inuyasha looked up at her, his eyes heavy-lidded.

"Yeah, for this," he said after a pregnant pause. She grinned.

"Great." She bent down and kissed him, then she became dizzy again, so she pulled away. "My third kiss of my lifetime, all tonight."

"There'll be plenty more," Inuyasha breathed out, flipping them over so that he was on top of her, the sleeping bag tangled around his legs. She laughed, looking up at him. Inuyasha fought to clear his head. As far as he was concerned, he was drunk as well, her scent the equivalent of an aphrodisiac. He dipped his tongue into the hollow of her throat, feeling her slow heartbeat against his tongue. She squirmed underneath him.

"You know, I heard it hurts the first time. Is that true?" The naked trust in her eyes was what tore him away from her. He tripped over the sleeping bag, but he bounced back up, shaking the cloth away from his legs.

"We can't do this," he said firmly, although he was aching to. What was wrong with him? A ripe virgin for the picking, one that wouldn't remember what she had done in the morning. She was drunk, and completely wanton in this state. _So why wouldn't he take her?_

She pouted on the floor, still on her back. "Am I not pretty enough?" Inuyasha nearly snorted. "Pretty"didn't cut it. She was beyond that, and more. Nearly flawless as he gazed at her on the floor, rumpled and pouty.

"You're pretty," Inuyasha managed to get out of his throat. She got to her feet slowly, her head reeling.

"Then how come you won't have sex with me?" She burst into tears, mumbling incoherent things behind her hands.

"Because!" Inuyasha moved to her, embracing her. "Because you're drunk beyond words, and you need to sleep. Okay?" She hiccuped.

"Sleep with me? No sex. Just sleep…" She pulled him, and with the moonlight behind her, he didn't think he could deny her anything. He climbed onto his bed with her, and she lied down, facing him. They didn't move to get under the blankets, their bodies' heat enough as she snuggled into him. He unconsciously wrapped his body around hers as his energy level dropped again and he was exhausted. He drifted off to sleep, not thinking of her reaction in the morning.

* * *

Her reaction wasn't good in the morning. She had awakened feeling warm at her back but with a vicious headache. Her temple pounding, she had groaned a little. Feeling her heartbeat in her head wasn't a good sign, she was sure. The pressure behind her eyes was awful, and she nearly hissed at the bright light coming from the window. _Why did I drink that stupid drink?_

She buried her head on her comfortable pillow, noticing slightly that the cinnamon smell that clung to it was not hers. She tried to concentrate on her fingers, but that was when she made the discovery. That was when she noticed the feeling of something heavy draped on her waist, and she had _three _hands instead of two. Had the drink make her grow an extra arm? She brought a hand up to her pounding head. No… The third hand was… big. It wasn't delicate like hers, and the fingertips were callused and rough. She followed the hand to the arm that was draped across her waist. She shifted a little and…

"AH!" Inuyasha was instantly awake, throwing his arm up in reflex as a foot came his way.

"Dammit woman, what _is _it with you and kicking?" he growled, trying to catch her flying limbs. She shrieked when he grabbed her hand and yanked her down. "Calm down!" he yelled over her screaming, trying to get her calm enough for him to explain their situation.

"You rapist! What the hell did you do to me?!" she cried out, her splitting headache getting worse. "How dare you touch an innocent girl like me!" With her other hand, she got lucky. Trying to ward him off, she accidentally clipped him on the jaw. He grunted, letting go of her other hand. She immediately tried to bolt towards the door. But she didn't know where the door _was._ In the time of her confusion, he was there again, growling and throwing her over his shoulder. She pounded on his back, and tried to get in a good kick to his stomach or _lower_, but he caught both her feet before they could do any damage, and held them close with one arm.

"Listen lady, I didn't do _shit _to you. We didn't fuck at all last night, so _calm down!_" he yelled. She continued to scream and shriek, hitting his back. He threw her onto the bed, immediately landing on her and straddling her waist as he got her wrists in his hands. He leaned low, growling as he clasped his teeth lightly on her throat. She immediately stopped struggling, her breathing still hard. He heard her whimper as he removed his teeth. "Are you going to listen to me?" She nodded, frightened of what he would do to her, since she was helpless in his grip now. He sighed.

"Are you going to rape me again?" she asked, tears gathering at the corners of her eyes. He growled.

"I didn't rape you in the first place lady. If I had, then there would have been blood on the blankets since you're a virgin." She blushed that he knew such intimate information about her. She probably spouted it out while she was drunk. "You _did, _however, give your first kiss to me. Or so you say." Kagome blushed even harder. It _had _been her first kiss, a first kiss that she could not remember. "Secondly, your friend Eri left you with me." Kagome's blush went away to be replaced by a flush of anger.

"She did _what?!_" Kagome yelled. Her head became a full-blown headache again. "I can't believe she left me with somebody that could have _killed _me! Or worse!"

"I'm not that bad, Kagome. Besides, she had good reason." Kagome blushed at the usage of her name. Did she tell him that too, or had Eri (The little traitor, she would kill her later) told him?

"You were incredibly drunk last night. You probably have a splitting headache right now. If you promise, no more screaming, I'll go get you a Tylenol to chase the headache away." Kagome nodded. Anything for a few pills of Tylenol.

He got off of her slowly, and she involuntarily shuddered as his claws somewhat dragged down her arms. She immediately got under the blanket of the bed, sitting up and wrapping it around her. She probably looked like a mess. I still can't believe Eri left me with this guy while I was drunk enough to pass out! Nausea cramped her stomach, and she fought to take deep breaths.

Inuyasha came back, holding a glass of water and two pills of Tylenol. Kagome reached out of the blanket for the cup and pills, but the nausea was suddenly too much. She held her hand to her mouth in a classic gesture of "I'm going to throw up _very _soon." Inuyasha noticed and immediately picked her up in the blanket, and practically threw her to the bathroom. She reached the toilet in time, and Inuyasha held her hair and blanket back as she emptied her stomach of its contents. She groaned as she limply leaned against the toilet, wiping her mouth across the back of her hand.

"I've never seen anyone have a hangover that bad from _one _drink before," Inuyasha said in wonder. Kagome sighed.

"Exactly how much _did _I tell you, Mr.…?" Kagome asked slowly. She was too weak to get up right now.

"A lot actually. Well, nah, not too much. And you called me Inuyasha last night just fine."

"Well, Inuyasha, I need to be leaving…" She struggled to get up, and he picked her up, holding her against his body. He didn't notice her blush as he flushed the toilet for her. He handled her like a baby as he practically dragged her to the sink and cupped water in his hand, bringing it to her mouth so she could rinse it out. She winced, as she still tasted the bile in her mouth. He carried her back to his room, placing her on his bed again. He gave her the glass of water and the two Tylenols. She gulped them down, drinking the water gratefully.

"So," she began, and remembered that he said that Eri had a good reason for leaving her with him. "Why did Eri have such a good reason to leave me to a stranger?" Inuyasha held up a finger as he picked up the phone.

"Hold on. I have to tell my… boss, that I'm going to be late today." He dialed the number and held it. "Yeah, Miroku? I'm gonna be late today. I'll explain later. Mm hm. I'm sure you can handle it on your own. You did fine even before me. Yeah, I'll talk to you later." Inuyasha hung up then turned to Kagome. She seemed curious.

"Where do you work?" she asked. Inuyasha shrugged nonchalantly, not willing to give her the secret that he was guarding. She pursed her lips, but didn't say anything. Why did she care whether she knew personal information about him? Because he knew stuff about _her _now, dammit. Oh well. She didn't care. "So what's Eri's good excuse?"

"It seems that one of your friend's boyfriend got into a really bad car accident. I'm not sure if he made it or not. He gave the phone to her, and said gruffly, "I heard it was really bad. I advise that you call one of them."

Kagome was in shock. While she was complaining of having been left with a stranger who _seemed _trustworthy, one of her friends was in an emotional turmoil. She numbly took the phone, all thoughts of her headache disappearing as it was replaced by worry and concern. She dialed Eri's number and was greeted by her tired, "Hello?"

"Eri?" she asked hesitantly. Eri was instantly awake.

"Kagome! Hey, I'm at the hospital right now. Look, I know you're probably mad at me, but--" Kagome cut in.

"I'm not mad about that. Eri, what happened? Who got into the car accident?" Kagome asked. Eri sighed.

"It was Tama. We thought he was dead for a while, but they brought him back. It was really close. Now they're done with surgery and the doctors say he should make a full recovery after physical therapy. He's even awake now, and he's talking to Ayumi. We spent the night here, in the chairs. You were really drunk last night, so I didn't want Ayumi to… Well, you know." Kagome had tears in her eyes with happiness.

"Yes, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have--"

"Oh please Kagome. None of that self-pity thing. We took you to the club and gave you the drink. It's not your fault for anything. Besides, you met a gorgeous hunk last night, who you happened to spend the night with." Kagome heard Yuka say, "What? She spent the night with a guy? Eri! I know you didn't!" Eri hastily said, "Yes, I did, and it looks like it turned out okay. Ow! Get off of me, Yuka! Ayumi needed us, right?" Kagome sighed.

"I'll be over soon," Kagome said.

"Oh, don't bother. Yuka and Eri are going to go home now. Ayumi said to tell you to go home and wait for her call. Or go to work and wait for her call. Of course, _I _say stay with the gorgeous piece of man flesh that I left you with and do the unspeak--" she heard Eri cry out in pain as Yuka did some unspeakable things to her. They hung up.

Kagome sighed as she gave the phone back to Inuyasha. He was silent as he put the cordless back in its charger next to his bed. "So he's all right?" he asked. She looked at him in surprise.

"How did you know?" she asked, huddling in the blanket. He shrugged and pointed to his ears that were twitching on top of his head. She nodded.

"So you eavesdropped in my conversation with them?" she asked. Inuyasha frowned at the word "eavesdropped," but nodded anyway.

"Then can you drop me off where I work?" Inuyasha sighed.

"Yeah. Sure. I mean, do I have a choice?" Inuyasha asked sarcastically.

"Please… no yelling," Kagome said, holding her head.

"I wasn't yelling, bitch," Inuyasha said. Kagome didn't seem to hear him over the pounding head. He sighed in submission. He would just drop her off at work and go on his own way. He bundled her in his car, still huddled in his blanket, and got into the driver's seat. Kagome sighed and reclined the seat back so she would be lying down.

"Actually, I need to go home first, to change," Kagome murmured from the depths of the blanket. Inuyasha nodded, although she probably wouldn't be able to see it.

"Where do you live?" Inuyasha asked. Kagome's head popped out of the blanket, and she sat up laboriously. She gave him directions, leaning against the window. When they arrived, Inuyasha carried her into the house.

"You know, I can walk," Kagome said haughtily.

"Not without throwing up you can't." Kagome didn't know what to say to that as he closed the door. "Don't you lock your door?" he asked. She shook her head.

"The kids come in sometimes to grab treats that I leave on the table," Kagome explained.

"You mean they just run in without ringing the doorbell or anything?" Inuyasha asked incredulously. Who in the world did such a stupid thing as trusting a whole neighborhood?

"Nope. They just come in. I told them they could. I have games and stuff they can play here too. It's really fun." Inuyasha just shook his head and went in the direction that she indicated was her bedroom. He laid her on the bed, and went out. He heard a lot of rustling noises, then water running. She was going to take a shower? Well, if she had to work, then he supposed he would have done the same… Nah, he wouldn't have. He would have said to hell with it, called in sick and stayed home and slept off the hangover. This girl was dedicated.

Kagome came out thirty minutes later, her hair damp and in a crisp suit. She sighed when she saw him, carrying the blanket out with her. She had folded it, and she said, "I feel a lot better now. Thanks a lot." Inuyasha shrugged casually, and took the blanket. They went out to his car again, and he put the blanket in the backseat. He started the car and maneuvered out of the neighborhood.

"So where do you work?" She told him, and he blanched. "Is your president Myouga, by any chance?" Inuyasha asked. Then he narrowed his eyes at her as he stopped at a red light. "You wouldn't happen to be Kagome _Higurashi_, would you?" Kagome was surprised.

"Yes to both questions… How did you--" Inuyasha snarled as he pressed on the gas again when the light turned green.

"Small world, small world," he grumbled. She was getting frustrated.

"Would you please tell me why you're being such a weirdo?" she asked.

"Because, Myouga happens to be _my _grandfather." Kagome gaped at him.

"He happens to be your _what?!_" Kagome shrieked, then instantly regretted it as a dull pounding in her temple answered her shriek.

"He happens to be my grandfather," Inuyasha repeated, annoyed.

"Why didn't he mention you to me?" Kagome asked. Inuyasha shrugged.

"Probably because I don't keep in much contact with me. Last time he talked to me, he was talking about a brilliant corporate girl that I had to meet. I could smell matchmaking a mile away, so I said no, go to hell."

"You said that to your own grandfather?" Kagome asked, more softly this time since her head was still killing her. Inuyasha sighed.

"Yes, I did. I'd do it again."

"So then who was the brilliant corporate girl?" Kagome murmured. Inuyasha looked at her weirdly.

"Please don't tell me you're that stupid," Inuyasha drawled.

"I'm not--!" Kagome groaned and massaged her temple. "I'm not stupid. So he was talking about me?"

"Lord, you _are _that stupid," Inuyasha said. Kagome fought to take deep breaths to abate her anger some.

"And you're a jerk. Now shut up. Are you going to come up with me and talk to him?" Kagome asked. Inuyasha snorted.

"No. And I have to get to my own job." Kagome wrinkled her nose.

"You still haven't told me what you do."

"And I'm not planning on telling you, so butt out," Inuyasha said roughly. Kagome pouted.

"Fine, you mean… jerk," Kagome said lamely, not able to come up with anything worse. He dropped her off at the company, and she went in without saying goodbye or waving to him as she would have usually done with her friends. She stomped to the elevator, grumbling hellos to people that said them to her.

When she reached her floor, she stepped out, and Kouga was there, bumping into her. "Oh, sorry I-- Oh, Kagome!" Kagome shoved past him and continued to walk, not listening to his words. She had a bitch of a headache still, and she only wanted to get to her office, sit at her desk, and possibly pound out the headache against the wall.

"Kagome," a small voice squeaked from the floor. It jumped to her shoulder, and Kagome paid no mind. "Kagome," the voice repeated. She had finally reached her office, and she closed the door. She sighed.

"Yes, Myouga?" Kagome asked with fake cheer.

"I heard that you got drunk last night. And stayed with my _grandson_," Myouga said.

"Myouga?" Kagome questioned.

"Hm?"

"Exactly how does a dog demon come into being from a _flea _demon?" Myouga chuckled.

"I'm not _really_ his grandfather. After his parents died, I took him in for a while. Then he went out on his own. Independent punk, he is," Myouga chortled.

"How did you hear about that anyway?" Kagome asked.

"Well, Inuyasha just called me and told me parts of it." Inuyasha had called Myouga's office, and Myouga had jumped on the "Answer" button. Myouga wished technology would go faster, so they could make a cell phone small enough that he could use. Of course, it might be impossible, but… Maybe…

"Well, nothing happened." Myouga scowled. Kagome looked at him curiously as he jumped into the palm of her hand. "Did you _want _something to happen?"

"Of course I did, you silly girl! I've been trying to get him to meet you for a long time now, and he finally gets you in his bed and he does _nothing? _Why, a dog demon like him should--" Kagome coughed, uncomfortable with the way the conversation was starting to turn. "Anyway," Myouga said, getting the hint, "I'm going to give you the rest of the day off, since you have a nasty hangover. I'll have Kouga drop you off--"

"No, that's all right," Kagome said hastily. "I'd rather work, thanks." Myouga looked at her.

"Are you sure, Kagome? You seem a bit pale." _Only at the thought of Kouga finding out where I live, _Kagome thought.

"Yes, I'm sure. I'd rather work." Myouga jumped off of her palm and went under the door back out. Kagome wondered how someone so small could demand enough authority to become the president of this company. Ah well. To work she went!

* * *

**wk: **Okay, so this was the _end _of my second chapter. Don't worry, the radio bit will come in very soon. Now, I'm going to do something I started in my other story, "Neighborly Love", and I call it the...

**_ReViEw oF rEvIeWs_**:

Hi, **Miztikal-Dragon**! It's good to see a familiar name on my second Inuyasha fic (Feels warm and fuzzy inside)! I hope I wasn't a little _too _overboard with the oocness though... Although I agree. Uniqueness is what makes everything different and that much more able to treasure.

Well, **drake220**! Another familiar name (More of the warm, fuzzy feelings)! You're not obtuse. And I really don't know how I thought of it. I just kept on thinking, I want to write something no one else has really done before. And I was listening to music while trying to hopelessly brainstorm, then I thought of DJing, which led to the radio idea, which inevitably ended up with Inuyasha as a shock jock. I do have to admit, Howard Stern came to mind while I was writing this story, and I also have to say that his situation is ridiculously... well, for lack of better words, ridiculous. Just because he discusses things that adults themselves are afraid to face shouldn't make him a bad person. Debates and discussions brings out the things that needs to be fixed. I believe Mr. Howard Stern was truthfully trying to make the world a more honest place, and I commend him for it. Wow, okay! I wrote a lot for someone I don't even know. Hehe, thanks for loving this story as well! And yes, Kagome will be _very _angry when she finds out. I'll tell you that much. But she won't... Well, you'll find out throughout the fic. =)

Thanks, **silentslayer**! I hope my story lives up to your expectations.

Don't worry, **Esther Tan**. I've already decided I'm going to stick with it and finish it out, even if I end up not liking it. I can promise there will be an ending. If I break my promise... Eh, I give you permission to... to... do whatever you like with my corpse, since I'm sure my friend will kill me first.

Well, **kawaii doggie ears**, I'm very proud of this storyline as I've mentioned in the beginning. I wanted to do something someone else hasn't done, and I think I've found it! Hehe, okay... Now for the serious "Iraq matter". See, what Inuyasha said isn't my opinion wholly. I have some of the same views, but not all. I thought I should put some opposing views in it as well, since that would offset my own, and would make it somewhat more... agreeable, I guess I would say. I really do keep an open mind about what other people think. But, in this story, Inuyasha is a close-minded fool who only has his own opinions, and doesn't really like listening to others. That's why people like him so much. Because they can argue with him, and although they get extremely frustrated, deep inside they're glad because Inuyasha doesn't dance around anything. Blunt and to the point, our hanyou doesn't have a shy bone in his body. Of course, he's gonna get shot someday for his smart aleck comments (Not in my story! Well, maybe... That just gave me an idea, but I might not go through with it...), but until then, he'll enjoy his foolish ignorance. And Kagome's partly why I decided to make him so close-minded. I decided she's going to make him see that there are other views in the world, other views that he just shouldn't trample with his own. Okay, enough of my blabber. =) Wait for the next one! I'm almost done with the next chapter as I type on this thing...

Thanks, **Wheezambu**! Love makes the world go arounddddd... =D

Well, **Golden-Tuna**, what can I say that hasn't been said before to self-inflate my overly large ego? Mwaha. Wait for the next one! =D

**wk: **Oh my lord, I just had the best idea!!! And although I really was going to go with **Esther Tan**'s suggestion of making Naraku a business tycoon trying to take over Kagome's company, I got an idea as well. Now, I'm going to leave it up to you guys to see which is a better idea. After blabbering about Howard Stern to **drake220**, I thought... why not make Naraku the lead guy in trying to get Inuyasha _off _the air because of his blunt rudeness and his discussion topics? Since parents don't want children listening to all sorts of bad things, Inuyasha would be on their list. Naraku vs. Inuyasha again.

NO WAIT--

I just had another idea. I'm on a ROLL!! You guys will seriously have to tell me what you like. Naraku is a business tycoon against Kagome's company, and Inuyasha starts to discuss Naraku's tactics over the air, and he's not very subtle about it. Naraku then turns his attentions to Inuyasha, and fights, alongside the press and the outraged parents, to get Inuyasha off the air. Presto-_boom_! Now I've got two ideas in one. You guys tell me though. **One**, the **other**, or **both**.

Opinions greatly appreciated!!


	3. First Date

Disclaimer: Not minnneee...!!

**wk: **Hi guys! Well, it's been a while, and I'm really sorry about that. My job has been driving me crazy, and it's been taking up more than half of my time. Jobs are a freakin' waste. I mean, almost half of it goes to taxes anyway. Stupid system. (Sighs) Well, anyway, here's chapter three! I had forgotten I had this finished... (Looks sheepish and very apologetic). Sorry!

**Chapter Three  
First Date**

Inuyasha arrived an hour late to work, and Miroku chewed him out. He sat down heavily, not wanting to insult people for the first time.

"Hey Hanyou, this is Kami," a voice said. Obviously, it was a little joker posing as God. Okay, he could handle nicknames, albeit bad ones.

"All right, _Kami_, what's your question?" Inuyasha asked.

"Well, my question is this. If you've met a girl you really like, but she doesn't seem to like you, what do you do?"

"Hm… I didn't think God would have problem like this in the first place," Inuyasha drawled, making Miroku chuckle. "Don't you have power over her and can't you threaten to smite her if she didn't go out with you?"

"Ah, well… I leave free will alone. Can't mess with that stuff," he said. Inuyasha laughed appreciatively.

"Well, I would advise that you find out what her favorite things are. Then just start to woo her. Let her know your feelings. If she doesn't return your affections, to hell with her. I'm sure God can find a hot girl in a club somewhere," Inuyasha said as he hung up on God. _Speaking of clubs…_ "Okay, now I'm going to do something I've never done before. I'm going to… _talk _about my day. Or specifically, last night." Miroku raised an eyebrow at him. He knew Inuyasha had left without a word last night, but when Miroku had glanced over, he seemed to be in the arms of a pretty chic who was dancing all over him.

If only he had that magnetic effect, Miroku thought wistfully.

"Okay, so I wanted to unwind last night, right?" Inuyasha drawled. "So, I go to Crystal, the dance club downtown. I'm sitting there, and I see the most gorgeous girl in a black skirt and a red top. I go down there, and the bitch is _all over me_. Then I make the uncomfortable realization that she's drunk off her rocker. She tells me all sorts of intimate details, and let me tell you; all I wanted to do was (beep) her. She ends up passing out on me, and her friends all leave since one of their boyfriends was in a bad accident. What do they do? _They leave her to me. _Now, normally, I would have called them stupid for doing that. Oh, wait, scratch that, I _will _call them stupid for doing that. What kind of friend leaves her friend to a complete and total stranger? So I take her to my place, and she's practically begging me for it, if you know what I mean, but I'm an honorable guy--" Miroku snorted. Inuyasha continued. "But then she passes out again. When she wakes up, what does she do? She barfs from the bad hangover she has. Miroku, wanna take a guess at how many drinks she had?"

"Ah… seven?" he asked. Inuyasha laughed. Genuinely laughed.

"No. She drank _one_. And she's drunker than Kid Rock at a party." Miroku laughed. "Then, I take her to _her_ home, right? And since she probably can't drive because of her stupid hangover, I drive her to work. I made an uncomfortable discovery there, which I will not divulge over the air, but it was uncomfortable all the same. That's the end of my story. And kids, there's a moral." Inuyasha paused for effect. "Don't dance with drunk girls. You might get lucky, but in the end it's not worth it."

"Er… Thank you for that enlightening tale," Miroku said. "Well, we'll start taking calls again."

"Okay, well, Hanyou, what was this person's name?" a guy's voice asked. Probably trying to see if he could get the girl to dance all over _him _too. Inuyasha mentally snorted. No chance of that at all.

"Uh…" He wracked his brain for a fictional name. "Kikyou," he blurted out. He smacked himself on the forehead, and Miroku raised an eyebrow at her. Inuyasha muted the call, and hissed at Miroku, "Well, she _does _look like Kikyou! You should see her! Besides, it's not my fault I outlived her."

"I really don't think your dead girlfriend should be brought into this as a new girl you met!" Miroku hissed back. Inuyasha only shrugged and unmuted the call.

"What was your name, kid?" Inuyasha asked.

"Ken."

"Okay, Ken. Was there something else you wanted to ask?"

"Yeah! Do you think you get her number for me, since you didn't seem to like her that--"

"No," Inuyasha snarled, and hung up on Ken. _I shouldn't have told that story. Dammit._ The red light was flashing. Another call. He was shocked at himself since he found himself wishing it were a female.

"Okay, this is Ayame. So what happened to this girl?" Inuyasha growled. What was it with Kagome now? He had started a discussion on her and now other people wanted to _only _discuss her? He would never talk about Kagome again. "You dropped her off at work and that was it? Reading between the lines, it sounds like you two had a hot night--"

"Nothing happened, miss prissy," Inuyasha bit out. "Next caller." He hung up on her protesting words.

"Hey, this is Etsuya." It was a guy. "Are you in a relationship with this girl now?" Inuyasha bit back a curse and breathed deeply a few times.

"No."

"Why not? She sounded like she was extremely hot for you, even if you two didn't do anything."

"No," Inuyasha repeated, and hung up on Etsuya. This was getting ridiculous. He pressed the red flashing button, hoping that there was an earthquake somewhere in the world, or a natural disaster of some kind. Maybe a tornado?

"Bryant here."

"Hanyou here," Inuyasha mocked slightly.

"Okay, well, don't you have more to tell us? It seems a bit anticlimactic if you just leave it off--"

"Okay, that's enough about Ka-- I mean Kikyou! She's dead news okay?"

"Quite literally," Miroku mumbled. Inuyasha hung up on Bryant then took off his headset. He stomped out of the recording room, grumbling and mumbling. Miroku hastily put on some music and followed Inuyasha out the door.

"Dude, they seem to be really digging the stuff you said about-- whoever-- earlier. Talk some more about her!"

"Her name's Kagome! And I can't! That's all I know, dammit! And I don't want to go into my personal life with strangers! Plus, I'm _not _going back out with that psycho."

"But that's what _they _do, Inuyasha. They give their personal life to us. I suppose it _would _be intriguing for one of us to do the same and give some of our personal life to them," Miroku reasoned. "Besides, you would probably get a lot of money if you go out with--"

"Okay, I'll do it," Inuyasha growled. "I just need the extra money for rent," he grumbled. Miroku grinned at him over his shoulder as they went back in. "I'll give them a tidbit everyday for an extra two hundred dollars everyday that I tell a story." Miroku's grin became wider.

"I'm sure the boss will agree."

"All I'm saying is, he better."

* * *

It was six o' clock in the afternoon, and Kagome was bored. She didn't know how many phone calls she had answered. The phone started to ring again. Sighing, she picked up. "Hello?" she asked, bored. She didn't want to be a damn secretary. Her headache had mostly gone away, thank God. Of course, the three extra Tylenols didn't kill anything either.

"Hi." She narrowed her eyes. She didn't think she'd forget that voice. Not after waking up next to it.

"What do you want?" Kagome asked, playing with the cord, twisting it around her fingers.

"Such a rude way to greet a friend," Inuyasha cooed. Kagome was still not over her hangover, and did not want to deal with this. Headaches were the most evil thing that the devil could have come up with, for trying to punish people for having fun--

Wait, wouldn't that be God? Ah, well…

"I'm hanging up on you. Bye."

"You know, technically you're not hanging up on me if you _tell--_" The dial tone answered him. He chuckled. At least the girl had some fire in her. Otherwise, this would have been boring and he would have dumped her. Then again, maybe that might have been better since that would have ended his "on-air relationship". Oh well. Too late to back out now. He lounged on his couch for a few minutes, maybe five, before punching in the numbers again. He had gotten her numbers from Eri, who was excited that he was interested in her, even after all the hullabaloo.

"Hello?" her words were clipped, showing her irritation. Inuyasha chuckled.

"Hi again."

"Inuyasha, I'm busy right now, so I'll call you later."

"You don't have my number."

"Exactly." Inuyasha laughed. So _she _was trying to get rid of _him_? What happened to the seductive vixen that had tried to get him into bed? Where did that girl disappear to?

"Well, babe, I was going to ask if you would like to have dinner with me tonight, since it's too late for lunch."

"Well, _babe_, I'm going to have to say no." Kagome looked at her fingers, analyzing her fingernails. She winced as she looked at them. She was going to have go get a manicure. She wasn't actually superficial, but after her friend had convinced her to get a pedicure and a manicure, she _liked _the feeling of someone tending to her for a change. Of course, she always gave them a hefty tip.

"That's too bad. I could have told you everything you said to me, but…" Kagome stiffened in her seat. Everything that she had said? What _had _she said? And what would he do with that information? He could probably make Eri spread it around, the traitor. "Of course, there's also the matter of what you _did_…" Kagome seethed.

"You're pure evil, Inuyasha. I can't believe you're blackmailing a hungover girl with things she said and did while she was drunk."

"Eh, whatever works." Inuyasha seemed unconcerned with the lack of morals on his part. Kagome took a deep breath to try to calm her anger.

"I'll go out to dinner with you tonight. But _only _tonight." There was a pause.

"A month. You got out to dinner everyday with me for a month," Inuyasha said. Kagome snorted.

"As if."

"I think that's how long it'll take me to convince you that I'm decent. And if you want to stop our relationship after a month--"

"There _is _no relationship."

"There isn't right now," Inuyasha said confidently. "But I'm sure you won't be able to resist my charm."

"Inuyasha?" her voice was suddenly sweet, and Inuyasha was instantly wary as he stiffened. "Go to heck." She hung up on him again. Inuyasha stared at the phone. He had never heard someone say that phrase. It was always, _always, _"hell." Never "heck." He never met anyone who refused to curse.

He called back, and told her the restaurant and the time, despite her venomous words towards him. Of course, they really held no venom when she only called him a pompous jerk, an arrogant jerk, and an overconfident jerk. He was just a buffet of jerks today. He went early, dressing casually since it wasn't a fancy restaurant. That would be too much for a first _date._

He waited at a booth for thirty minutes, forty minutes, an hour. He sighed. Was she going to stand him up, despite his threats? Then he saw her, in comfortable clothes. She was in tight jeans and a tank top, with a light jacket to ward off the night's chill.

"So what did I say and do that was so bad?" she asked, sliding into the booth across from him. He shrugged.

"I don't kiss and tell," he said smoothly, sipping his water. She rolled her eyes.

"Don't you realize that you're telling me what I _did?_" Kagome asked. Inuyasha shrugged.

"Maybe. Maybe not. Are you _sure _you're still a virgin?" he asked slyly. Kagome flushed.

"Unless you're a rapist--" she started loudly, enough for the others to hear. Heads turned their way, and Inuyasha clamped a hand over Kagome's mouth.

"She's joking," Inuyasha said weakly, then glared at her. She was smiling smugly when Inuyasha took his hand away. "Whatever. I guess I'll just have to tell my 'grandfather' Myouga about your trysts..."

"No!" Kagome huffed out a breath of exasperation. "Okay, I lose. A date for the whole month, everyday."

"Except for weekends," Inuyasha cut in. He didn't have to work on weekends.

"Um… Okay, yeah, that sounds good. Twenty-two days, more or less with you don't seem that bad," Kagome said, pursing her lips in thought.

"And then after the twenty-two days, or whatever, you can decide whether you want to keep seeing me or not. That's normally how long a relationship lasts anyway, right? If it can't last more than a month, we know that it wasn't _meant _to last. Oh, and I meant twenty-two consecutive _dates_, not days." Kagome gaped at him, and fumed. "Deal?" Inuyasha held out his hand over the table. She looked at it solemnly, then hesitantly shook his hand.

He slowly smiled as she shook it, unknowingly making a deal with him saying that he was going to broadcast their growing "relationship" on air. Okay, so she didn't say that at _all_, but it was implied. Kinda.

"So what? Is this our first date?" Kagome asked, sitting back and crossing her legs and arms.

"Technically, this is our second date, only you don't remember the first one… honey," he replied with a smirk on his lips.

"Right… So, are you going to tell me, now that I made the _deal_ with you?" Kagome asked. _She makes "deal" sound like something she did with the devil. Ah, well, she's not that far off, _Inuyasha thought.

"No," Inuyasha said calmly, sipping his water. Kagome bared her teeth unknowingly, and leaned across the table, putting her elbows on it to support her weight.

"What do you mean 'No'?" Kagome snarled. Inuyasha continued to sip his water.

"It seems like you still didn't get rid of that hangover," he said mildly, and she rolled her eyes.

"Gee, you think?" she asked sarcastically. He shrugged with one shoulder, downing his water. He stopped the waiter and ordered a burger with fries.

"Want anything, darling?" he asked sweetly. She grit her teeth, then smiled sweetly in return.

"That's okay, _honey_, unless you want it ending up in your lap," Kagome said in a sugary voice. Inuyasha raised a brow, and the waiter fidgeted, waiting to see if they would order anything else. Inuyasha turned to the waiter, grinning.

"She's hot for me, you know," Inuyasha drawled. "That's why the food's gonna end up in my lap. She'll end up there as well." Kagome choked at his words, turning red from lack of air and anger. When she got her breath back, she made threats that ended up with nothing in his lap. And she meant _nothing. _The waiter still looked uncomfortable, and Inuyasha only said, "Get this girl a milkshake. I think she needs to cool down. You know what they say about milkshakes and boys these days. I might need some of that," Inuyasha said. The waiter laughed nervously and quickly went on.

"You're not funny," Kagome hissed, and sat back again, huffing.

"Kagome, you're being a bitch," Inuyasha said, toying with a napkin.

"I'm being a _WHAT?_" she yelled, and people turned to see what the big hubbub was about.

"Calm down, woman," Inuyasha scowled. Kagome gripped the edge of the table so hard, that he thought she was going to break it. Instead, she took a deep breath, and slid out of the booth. He watched, interested. "Where are you going?"

"Home," was the calm answer.

"But our date isn't over yet," Inuyasha called.

"It is now," Kagome threw over her shoulder, and went out the door. Inuyasha sighed, cursed, then threw money on the table for the meal and tip. _Even though I didn't eat anything_, Inuyasha thought. He followed her out the door, and saw her trying to open the car door by stabbing the key the right way into the keyhole. When she noticed him, she stopped trying to kill her door and open it as fast as she could. Unfortunately, she dropped her keys and she muttered curses at the keys. With no cuss words, of course.

"Wait," Inuyasha called.

"I don't think so," Kagome said, then bent down to get the keys. He was there in an instant, snatching the keys from her hand.

"I'm sorry," Inuyasha said tiredly. Kagome scowled, trying to get her keys back, but he held them out of reach.

"It's okay, now give me my keys back," she said, jumping to get the keys. Inuyasha whirled, pushing her between himself and the cold metal of the car. She was breathing hard, her breasts heaving against his hard chest. He looked down at her with his eyes heavy-lidded with desire, but she didn't notice. She still reached for her keys, not looking at his face. She crowed with triumph when her hand finally found her keys, but his mouth on hers cut off her sounds of delight.

She instantly wrapped her arms around his neck, not expecting the quick fire to go through her veins, not expecting the longing to pool in her stomach, and most of all, definitely not expecting her own response to his kiss. He pulled away, pulling on her lower lip with his teeth, making her follow him, not that she thought of _not _going where he led. His hands were on her hips, but they came up to cup her face, showing her which angle was best for both of them. Finally, they came up for air, and Kagome shrieked with sudden surprise. She felt something… _hard_, pushing against her stomach, and she was afraid she knew what it was.

Frightened, she pushed him off of her viciously, her cheeks red from the blood rush and the desire. And of course, the embarrassment that she had responded. He moved maybe two inches.

"Good Lord, what was that?" Inuyasha asked in amazement. He hadn't expected her to kiss him back, but when she did… He couldn't remember _anything _except for kissing her. Maybe dating her for twenty-two or twenty-one or whatever days was worth it. She was a virgin, but she was the most enticing girl that he had met.

"I don't know," Kagome wailed in answer to his question. He pinned her again, holding her wrists in his hands. She struggled, keeping her face lowered and away from him.

"Let's go watch a movie," Inuyasha said. Kagome stilled, and she glared up at him for a moment.

She said, "If I do, you have to promise no kissing." Inuyasha grinned. What a jumpy little thing!

"Okay, okay. Only if you're dying and you need CPR," Inuyasha said, leaning in to nibble on her lip. She quickly pulled away, a blush rising once more to her cheeks.

"I mean it buster! You promised! If you break your word at any time of this deal, then the deal is over like _that_." She snapped her fingers to emphasize her point. He nodded solemnly.

"Okay, now that you have my word, let's go watch a movie." Kagome growled.

"Say the words, buster," Kagome hissed. Inuyasha raised an eyebrow at her and shrugged.

"Okay. I promise not to kiss you without your permission," Inuyasha said solemnly, saluting her. Kagome sighed in exasperation and defeat.

"Okay. Let's go. Your car?" Inuyasha shrugged.

"Why not? Let's go."

"For us to go, you have to get off of me, and let go of my wrists," Kagome suggested. She squeaked when he settled more heavily on her, pinning her from knees to shoulders on her car.

"But it's so comfortable," Inuyasha said, still grinning.

"Not for me. It hurts my back. Now let's go," Kagome lied. She honestly couldn't feel the cold metal of the car when he was on her. How could she pay attention to anything else, even pain, when he was on top of her? Crud. Now she was getting sappy. Inuyasha got off though, and Kagome found the night air to be chilly compared to the heat of his body. A heavier, larger jacket settled on her shoulders, and she clutched at the sides to keep the jacket closed. She looked up to see Inuyasha smiling at her. She scowled, about to take the jacket off. He settled his hands on her shoulders, and shook his head.

"Just because you don't like me right now doesn't mean you should deprive yourself of warmth just because of your feelings." Kagome clutched the jacket tighter around her then, not seeing a fault in his reason.

Since when did he get a single thought process in his head that wasn't about sex?

_Lord, what have I gotten myself into?_

_

* * *

_

**wk: **Okay, sorry... I know this chapter must have been short. (Grimaces) Sorry! Okay, anyway, I'm going to skip the apologies and all the other stuff to get to the...

**_ReViEw oF rEvIeWs_**:

I thought it was a fun setup too! =) It was an interesting challenge to see how to get those two together after such an... unforgettable encounter. Well, unforgettable to the sober people.

Well, **Star Weaver**, I can relate to the whole getting off of work and being barely coherent. It might be the reason why the quality of my writing has been declining a bit. (Sighs) Sad. So sad. Hehe, don't worry, I won't forget. And if I do, give me a good (figurative) kick in the hiney to get my ass in gear and rewrite it or something. Thanks for reviewing and reading when you must have been tired after work. (Grimaces)

Well, **anime-babe21**, it's really simple. Myouga can take the stairs (despite the incredible amount of time that would take). Or, since he's the boss, he can tell someone to get into the elevator with him and push the buttons. Pure genius. Hehe, I didn't mean for Inuyasha to seem like a gentleman, since he's usually the opposite, but I know he _does _have his own code, so... =) Haha, and yeah, Kagome, I decided, wasn't a heavy drinker at all. And I mean at _all_. Kinda like me. (Pouts) And thanks for your compliments! I'm glad and flattered you think that highly of me. Wait for the next update! (Hopefully, it won't take as long...)

Thanks **silentslayer**! At first, I wondered how Myouga could fit into the story, and while I was writing, (I'm afraid everything occurs to me while I'm writing... Probably why I don't remember half of my own stuff...) it came to me! Make him Kagome's boss, and then when Inuyasha was driving Kagome there... Bam! Another rush of ideas that hit me along the head. I must say, I was rather breathless.

Hm... Well, **Esther Tan**, Sesshoumaru will definitely be in this fic. The only character that I _don't _think will be in this fic is Kaede, because I don't know how to fit her into this story. Maybe you could come up with another brilliant idea for me? Your last one just started a ball rolling and started the inspiration for what I now call... **_The Idea_**. Meh heh... Thanks for being with me! I hope you're with me the rest of the long way! And thanks for your idea in the first place! You're brilliant.

Thanks for liking my story, **Daddy's Pixie**! I didn't update soon, but I hope you forgive me for that. (Sighs) Time just isn't on my side this summer. And I'll be starting college soon... Aargh, don't want to think of _that _now.

Wow, thanks **Melissa**! Just like any other person, I am growing very big-headed from all my reviewers' compliments. I updated, but I hope you're still there reading, since I took so long... (Sighs)

Haha, no she can't, **Wheezambu**. I didn't know Inuyasha had it in him either, but my fingers are doing all the work. Along with itty bitty parts of my small brain. Bad grammar _is _a bad turn-off, but I'm afraid that when I'm really into the story myself, I can't seem to type right. (Sighs) I hope you or any other reviewer points out any and all of my mistakes to help me get better. And I'm also afraid that my chapter wasn't so long this time either. (Winces) Sorry! Hope you stick with me!

Your ideas are great, **drake220**! I wish I could use all of them. (Pouts) Hehe, you liked my phrase, did you? I don't know where I get these words, but like I told Wheezambu, my fingers do all the work. The only problem I can see with Naraku vs. Inuyasha is that it doesn't have anything to do with Kagome, since she doesn't know his identity, anyway. 'Tis the only problem. Alas, if I could just twist the plot around and twirl it until it didn't make sense, but... 'tis not to be. Hehe, I'm trying to update as soon as I can, but with my job, and my computer constantly being an ass, I'm afraid I have little spare time to write anymore. Don't worry though! I'm sure I'll make a comeback soon... Hopefully!

Thank you, **sapphire pink**! I really like to think my story is original. But, I'm sure there are other story lines like mine out there. Hopefully, not plagiarized. Hehe, like anyone would. How silly. I'll try to keep updating as fast as possible!

Well, **Boo**, Kouga will definitely have a personality in the future. I know I didn't give him much of a persona yet, but I have yet to concentrate on other characters. Meh.

Thanks so much **PeachesDani**! Hehe, I doubt my writing is _mastery_, but thanks for thinking so! Like I've said many times before, it inflates my big fat head. (Grins)

I updated, **aznguardanang3l**! I love your name, by the way. Did you read chapter two yet?

You are absolutely right, **inuyasha's girl**. I don't know why I'm having Inuyasha so well-mannered in this fic, but I'll get right to it! In the next chapter, or the chapter after, (since I've already written like... half of the next chapter, maybe more) I'll definitely have him more like himself. Maybe he's sick or something in my mind. And it's inevitable that Inuyasha meet Kouga. I'll have so much fun writing that little scene. (Rubs hands together evilly, plotting bad things) Thanks for reviewing, and keep with my story!

**wk: **That's it for my **_ReViEw oF rEvIeWs_**. Wait for the next one, folks! In the next one, Inuyasha will more than likely start his broadcasts!


	4. Second Date

Disclaimer: What? You don't say... You don't say...!! Hm... Somebody told me that Inuyasha doesn't belong to me. Throws away all the sketch pads I thought I would need that to draw my future comics, but I guess I was wrong. Oh well.

**wk:** Between work and... and... well, work, there has been almost _zero _time to work on my fic. Oh, so sad. I'm sorry this one was kind of late. I'm trying to simultaneously work on this fic and my "Neighborly Love" fic, so... Sigh it's taking quite a while. I'm afraid my writing has waned a little bit for "Neighborly Love", and I also seem to be in a little writer's block for it. I have an idea for it, and am currently writing it until I think of a better one, but I really have no idea what I'm doing, either for this fic, or the other. Wish me luck, and it's a miracle you guys have stuck with me on this so far. =) Love you guys!

**Chapter Two  
Second Date**

They watched an action movie, since watching a horror movie seemed too cliché. Kagome found herself rolling her eyes when the protagonist got the girl. The protagonist _always _got the girl. Then they went riding off into the sunset with no thoughts to law enforcement, the innocent people killed, or the damage that he had done. And of course, the girl had to have sex with the guy. She found herself peeking through her fingers when it showed too much skin.

"Too much for you?" a husky whisper asked in her ear. She glared at him through her fingers, and he grinned at her. What a mix! She was a seducing witch, but was so innocent.

"No," she said defiantly, and kept on watching through her fingers. Pride demanded she lowered her fingers, but her own embarrassment at watching such a scene with Inuyasha next to her kept her hands over her face. She nearly groaned when it switched to a different scene where the protagonist and the girl were making out before he left valiantly to get rid of the bad guy.

Inuyasha seemed mostly bored with the movie, and he was. This wasn't an action movie, for goodness sakes. It was a sappy, cheesy, disgustingly romantic movie disguised as an action movie with a few explosions and flipping around.

"Oh!" he heard Kagome gasp from her seat when the bad guy managed to beat down the hero. Of course, the hero got back up and killed the bad guy, but she already knew that. Still, if the movie was a movie, it was meant to play on the audience's feelings. She sighed when the movie was over. She sat there for a moment, processing everything she had seen.

"It sucked," she said as she abruptly stood, startling Inuyasha. He stared after her departing form for a moment, then chuckled. He followed her, his hands in the pockets of his jeans since he didn't trust himself to keep them off of her. She really was very tempting.

"It had no plot, just showed a lot of skin, and blew up things where it was convenient," Kagome ticked off the reasons for the movie being bad.

"You're some kind of movie critic now?" Inuyasha asked, his fingers curling and uncurling repeated in his pockets as he followed her.

"Well, at least _I _have an opinion," she shot at him, and he shrugged.

"I thought it was bad, just like you did. There, I've stated my opinion," Inuyasha retorted. Kagome tossed her hair over her shoulder and looked up at him haughtily.

"Whatever," she said in a dignified manner, walking to his car. He followed at a lazy pace, watching in amusement as she huffed out a frustrated breath when she couldn't open the car door. In fact, the car alarm went off. Inuyasha pressed his ears to his skull, ignoring the shrill. Kagome had her hands over her ears, yelling at him.

"Turn it off!" she yelled, glowering at him. He smirked, leaning against the shrieking car.

"Why should I? You were trying to break into it without my permission. It _is _my car," Inuyasha said over the shrilling of his car. He could see Kagome grit her teeth together and bare her teeth at him.

"I don't care whose car it is! Just turn it _off_!" she ordered. When he pretended not to hear her and she noticed people staring at them, she sighed. "Okay! I'm sorry! Can I please get into your car?" she asked semi-pleasantly. Inuyasha grinned and pressed a button on his car thing.

"See? That's all you had to say," Inuyasha said. Kagome practically hissed at him and got into the low-slung car. With his income at the radio station, it was a rocket of a car, with the whole body kit and everything. It was souped up.

Inuyasha pulled out of the parking lot smoothly, wincing when Kagome turned up the music so loud it left no room for conversation. He turned it low, and she growled at him. "I understand you're not in a talking mood, but if we get into an accident because you've made my sensitive ears bleed, then I'm not going to take responsibility for it." Kagome rolled her eyes at him, but made no move to turn up the music again.

Kagome leaned back in her chair, her eyes growing heavy-lidded. She was tired, and being in a bad mood was exhausting. She didn't know how surly people did it. Being depressed all the time… they should get paid for it. _It's probably my darn hangover_, Kagome thought viciously, somehow landing the blame on Inuyasha. _Blackmailing jerk_. She sighed. No, it wasn't his fault. It was her stupidity that landed her into this stupid deal.

"This was date number one. And although it wasn't the ideal date, it was date number one," Inuyasha said. Kagome didn't pay attention to him, her eyes closing. He seemed to remember where she lived perfectly anyway. She nodded off to sleep, a light snore filling his ears. It wasn't a full-fledged snore, just a sound that signified she was breathing. He felt a little bad about dragging her out when she was so obviously tired, and getting over a hangover, but oh well. He glanced at her from the corner of his eye, and couldn't resist pulling the sides of his jacket around her closer to keep her warmth in at a red light. He also tucked in a wisp of her hair behind her ear, and then moved again when the light turned green.

When he arrived at her small house in the neighborhood, he wondered if he should wake her up. He shook her a little, but she only moaned and shifted a little. He sighed. It looked like she wouldn't wake up no matter what. He got out of the car and moved to her side. He lifted her out of the car, and she shifted in his arms, burrowing into his chest. He rolled his eyes at her, but she slept peacefully on.

He closed the door with his foot, and then walked to the front door. He looked at the front door, in a dilemma. How did one open the door with arms full of a sleeping girl? He shifted, leaning down a little to awkwardly get his hand on the doorknob. He carried Kagome inside, and then went to her bedroom. He sniffed a little, and wished he hadn't. This place was _covered _in her scent, and he felt himself becoming aroused. "Dammit!" he hissed, and he quickly laid Kagome on her bed, lifting the blanket to her chin.

She opened her brown eyes for a moment, and his own amber eyes softened as they sought him out.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome asked, but she closed her eyes and she was sleeping again. Inuyasha never felt this before in his life. He felt like making love to her passionately, but wanted to soothe, to be tender. Without thinking, he brushed his lips over her pliant ones, and nearly groaned. He backed away from her, before taking her in her sleep. He didn't think she'd forgive him for _that _one. And his blackmail would become useless. Ah, well, he had something to talk about tomorrow on his show.

* * *

"Welcome to 102.5," Miroku said smoothly. "Miroku and Hanyou are here to answer any questions. Of course, he will be doing the answering, and I'll be providing any additional comments to our listeners."

"Shut up Miroku. You _still _talk too much," Inuyasha cut in. Miroku merely sighed and sat back. "Hanyou here. First caller."

"Hi! This is Aya. Did you meet the girl again?" Aya asked. Inuyasha almost groaned. He didn't expect for there to be questions about her this soon!

"Listen, Aya, and everyone else. I'll talk about her at one o' clock everyday that I have a show, or try to, at least. So until then, shove a cork in it unless you have another question."

"Okay then—" Inuyasha hung up on her, frowning. What a boring little girl.

"Next caller," Inuyasha said.

"This is Chika!" a chirpy voice said. Inuyasha raised a brow.

"Okay, what do you want?" Inuyasha asked, irritated.

"Well, I was wondering if my boyfriend and I should break up." Inuyasha waited for an explanation, but didn't receive any.

"Why?" Inuyasha bit out.

"Well, because I think we aren't compatible anymore, and I'm just not interested in the same stuff and—"

"Let me tell you something, Chika," Inuyasha cut in. "If you're calling us to ask if you should break up with him, I think you should, because obviously, you can't even make up your own mind when, from what you say, it's already over." Inuyasha hung up on her. "Egad, I think our world is populated by overly ignorant people." Miroku chuckled.

After what seemed like a few calls to Inuyasha, one o' clock came around the corner. He sighed when a horde of calls came, asking about his story.

"Yeah, yeah… okay!" Inuyasha snarled into the microphone when the little red light signifying a call wouldn't go away. "Well, I called Kikyou out last night, to tell her that we're dating. No, I didn't ask," Inuyasha said lazily before Miroku could interject. " I _told _her. She's very headstrong this girl. Probably wouldn't have let me near her if I asked her."

"So what happened?" Miroku asked. Inuyasha frowned at him.

"Um… I'm telling the story right now so… I _should _tell you soon," Inuyasha said sarcastically. Miroku scowled. "Anyway, so I blackmail her, telling her she did and said things while she was drunk that she probably wouldn't want my—I mean _her _boss to know about. I have a connection with him, you see. So she hesitantly agrees, and we go to the movies like a really bad cliché. Of course, she's a _real _sweet honey pot. Before we leave, the next thing I know, I'm kissing her on the side of my car. It was, also, like a really bad cliché." Inuyasha leaned back in his chair, remembering her taste, the feel of her skin under his rough fingertips.

"So…?" Miroku asked after a slight pause.

"So I nearly forget we're in a public area, if you know what I mean," Inuyasha said, leaning forward toward the microphone again. "Sweet little thing. Being a lecher as you are, you probably wouldn't be able to resist this little wench."

"Probably not," Miroku muttered.

"So then we go to the movies, after I promise the stupid idiot that I wouldn't kiss her anymore that night, and then she's _really _into the movie. It was stupid in my opinion, and I nearly fell asleep, but she's hiding her face behind her hands at the embarrassing parts, and I thought it was really idiotic, but when the movie ends, she stands up and says, as calmly as you please, 'It sucked.' I had to stop myself from (bleeping) her in the back of the theater after that. Damned if I'm not a sucker for honesty," Inuyasha said.

There was another pause after that, and Miroku said hesitantly, "So what happened after that?"

"I'm getting to it, you stupid—"

"Now, now, In—Hanyou," Miroku said hastily, nearly forgetting not to say Inuyasha's real name. "What did… er… _Kikyou _do after that?"

"She fell asleep as I was driving her home," Inuyasha said, sighing. "I had to carry her fat ass into the damn house."

"From what I hear, her ass wasn't fat. If she really was a fine specimen like you say," Miroku said wryly. Inuyasha scowled at him.

"Figuratively, okay?" Inuyasha said. Miroku shrugged.

"Whatever."

"Okay, so anyway, I carry her into the house, and I really should have gotten a medal for not having climbed into bed with her. A man would have to have a serious amount of self control to keep himself out of this witch's bed, I'm telling you," Inuyasha told Miroku.

"I _really _want to meet this girl," Miroku said. Inuyasha rolled his eyes.

"Maybe later, you lecher," Inuyasha said. Miroku pouted, but Inuyasha gave no hint that he noticed it. "I'm supposed to go out with her again tonight."

"To where?" Miroku asked, intrigued and forgetting Inuyasha wouldn't tell him over the air.

"Like I would tell you so you could spy on me, you idiot," Inuyasha said somewhat affectionately and with a hefty amount of annoyance. Miroku rolled his eyes.

"So that's all that happened?" Miroku asked.

"Yeah. No sex. I was _so _disappointed. I must have had to take a cold shower twenty times last night," Inuyasha said ruefully, frowning. Miroku laughed.

"This is exactly why people love you, Hanyou," Miroku said wryly. "It's because you're so blunt, and careless with your remarks."

"Keh. That's why Kikyou will fall head over heels with me, too."

* * *

Inuyasha sighed as he picked up the umpteenth call talking about "Kikyou". Why were people so interested in _his _relationships anyway? Didn't they have a life of their own?

"And he _dumped _me over that stupid skank! I wish I was more like your Kikyou… Maybe he wouldn't have dumped me then…"

The answer to his question seemed to be yes. Yes, people had no lives of their own.

"If you really believe that, then you deserved to be dumped." Inuyasha hung up on her sob. So what if she was a little sad? Dammit. He wished she wouldn't have started to cry. A female's tears, no matter whose, always made him feel like slime.

"Gee, Inuyasha, got any sympathy at all in that frozen thing you call a heart?" Miroku asked wryly.

"Nope," Inuyasha said cheerfully, and took the next caller. Sighing, he twirled around in his chair, trying to pay attention to the caller. Finally, five o' clock rolled around, and he picked up his messenger bag. Leaving the station, he used his cell phone to call Kagome's work place again.

"Myouga Corporations, Kagome speaking," she said easily, shuffling some papers around.

"Hey, babe," Inuyasha said, leaning back in his seat and starting the car. Kagome frowned.

"What do you want?" Kagome asked.

"Do you not remember our deal?" Inuyasha asked.

"Of course I remember your stupid idea," Kagome snapped. She sighed. Being bad tempered really wasn't her thing, but Inuyasha would drive a saint to murder.

"So meet me at the restaurant we were at yesterday at the same time, okay? And relax. I won't rape you or anything. I would have done that when you were piss drunk, if I wanted to," Inuyasha said, stepping on the gas and going into the flow of traffic.

There was a pause.

"…Are you saying you _didn't _want me?" Kagome asked quietly. Inuyasha groaned.

"I'm not saying that at all, you stupid wench. If you listened, you would know I said that I had the chance to, but I restrained myself," Inuyasha said.

"Well thank you so very much," Kagome said sarcastically. She hung up on him. Inuyasha sighed as he put down his cell phone and maneuvered his way in between two cars.

"Dammit, move!" he yelled, honking the horn as he got stuck behind a slow car. He got another call on his cell phone, and he looked at it skeptically. It couldn't be Kagome. She didn't have his cell phone number. Hell, she didn't have his house number. And now, to think of it, he didn't have hers either. Well, he would have to fix that tonight.

"Hello?" he answered when he saw that it was the station calling.

"Inuyasha, this is crazy! Calls are _still _coming in about you and Kikyou! Er… Kagome!" Miroku said. Inuyasha growled and sighed.

"Tell them to leave me the fuck alone," Inuyasha said wearily.

"Too late," Miroku said cheerfully. "You agreed to this fully, and it was one hundred percent your own free will." Inuyasha rolled his eyes.

"Whatever. Somehow, I'll pin it on you, and drag you down with me, bastard."

"I love you too."

"If you ever say that to me again, I'll rip out your—"

"Let's not be hasty, Inuyasha. I was just saying it was your decision." Inuyasha snarled at the phone as he hung up and threw it on the passenger seat. He stopped at a red light and looked down at himself. He was in a T-shirt and slacks, looking formally informal. _Should I change?_

Nah.

A honk behind his car signifying that the light had changed to green for quite a while had him cursing at the car behind him.

He drove to the restaurant, knowing he was really early, almost an hour early. He sat at a different booth, since the one they had sat in last time was occupied. He drummed his fingers on the table, looking bored, then tracing patterns that was on the wooden table. He barked for a waiter, and a cute little waitress came to him. She was fluttery and tried to flirt with him, but he found himself having no interest in her. She put two glasses of water on the table, walking away while batting her eyelashes at him. He ignored her. Half an hour later, Kagome was there, looking harassed.

"What's wrong, babe?" Inuyasha asked carelessly, in reality concerned. She dropped herself in her seat across from him, frowning. She was still wearing her suit from work, and Inuyasha noticed a strong smell coming from her that wasn't hers. He turned serious all of a sudden and asked, "Did someone touch you in any wrong way?" Kagome looked startled that he had gotten it so quickly, but shook her head.

"He's a coworker. Nothing serious. If I tell him to back off, he usually does," Kagome said, gratefully sipping the water on the table.

"'Usually'?" Inuyasha said, leaning back in his seat and still frowning.

"Yeah," Kagome mumbled. "Today he was just more… relentless. Kept on telling me I smell like someone else, and that I was his," Kagome added, giving Inuyasha a look. Inuyasha made a face.

"Don't you shower, wench?" Inuyasha asked, his nose wrinkling.

"Of course I do, you butt!" Kagome hissed. Inuyasha grinned, and took a long, deep sniff. Yes, she showered, this morning from the freshness of her scent. He smelled the soap, and unfortunately, smelled whoever was all over her. He instinctively started to growl, but stopped himself, surprised. He wasn't _that _possessive. Was he?

"Well, you do smell like you showered, but I don't smell anyone else on you, except for the one that touched you." Kagome rolled her eyes.

"You probably just can't smell your own scent, stupid. He said I smelled like a _dog_. He got a good thump on his head before he could explain that I really _did _smell like a dog, and not that I smelled like a dump." Kagome looked satisfied that she had hit him. Inuyasha was satisfied as well. Then—

"Wait, so you're saying he smelled _me _on you?" Inuyasha asked incredulously. Kagome shook her head sadly.

"Well, you're the only _dog _I know of," Kagome said scathingly. Inuyasha growled at the way she made the word "dog" sound like such an insult. Then he paused. If she had showered, then his scent should have rubbed off of her. Especially since that stupid guy, whoever he is, rubbed himself all over her. He felt the possessive growl start again, and once more, ceased it before he could let it come out of his throat. He took a deep sniff again, and found out several things about the certain male on her. However, there was one particular thing that stood out.

He was a wolf demon.

This time, he let the growl come out, not able to stop it. Kagome sat back and stared at him, startled at the animalistic sound. He leaned across the table, pinning his gaze on her.

"You're letting a fucking wolf demon touch you?" Inuyasha snarled. Kagome pursed her lips. How had he known? His nose was twitching and he involuntarily sneezed as he whiffed at her scent again. Oh. His nose.

"I didn't _let _him touch me," Kagome defended herself. "He comes on to me everyday, okay?" Inuyasha shook his head, trying to dispel the jealousy from it. Not that _he _would call it jealousy. He crossed his arms, "hmph"ing.

His mind reeled. His thought process once again landed on his scent still on her skin. It was true; he _had _touched her incessantly last night. Hell he had nearly climbed into bed with her. Still… There should have only been a faint trace of his scent on her when she went to work _after _she had showered.

He remembered Myouga telling him when he was just a pup that if his scent had melded with a female, then he desired to have her as his mate. He snorted inwardly at that. He didn't want _Kagome _as his mate. He wanted a female that would cook him food when he got home, tired and hungry from work, and would rub his poor tired feet and then have sex with him whenever he wanted. _That _was the woman he wanted. He gave a glance at Kagome, who was unconcernedly ordering from a waiter that was smiling at her in a suggestive manner. Of course, the girl didn't even seem to notice as she smiled back at him in a disarming way. He pouted some more, noticing that she didn't notice him pouting. Then realizing he was sulking, he immediately leaned on the table, staring at Kagome.

Kagome wiggled in her seat, trying not to notice the laser stare coming from him. "What?" she snapped, trying to shift in her seat so she would not feel that stare on her skin.

Inuyasha grinned at her, refusing to think about having this bad-tempered, fiery, independent, and absolutely gorgeous woman as his mate. "Nothing, just wanted to make you uncomfortable," Inuyasha said. Kagome stopped shifting, glaring at him. Inuyasha's grin grew wider, and she turned away again, waiting for her food. He took the chance to study her.

She had a great figure. He knew that from the club. When she had been dancing with him unabashedly, he had been able to feel her slim waist and seen her sparkling, if a little dull, eyes. They had been a little opaque with her drunkenness, but he had found himself fascinated by them nonetheless.

Kagome felt his stare on her face, and she flicked her eyes toward him just to see what the hell he found fascinating. He stared directly into her eyes and she felt the world tilt for a precious moment. She blinked repeatedly when the world snapped back. Confused by her behavior, he tilted his head a little, and Kagome grudgingly admitted to herself that he looked cute.

Stubbornly, Kagome crossed her arms and pursed her lips. She felt the gaze go to her lips, and she didn't look at him. The gaze then moved to her breasts, unseen by the tailored suit she wore. Her back stiffened at his actions, and when she finally couldn't take it anymore, she opened her mouth to blast him. She closed her mouth when she saw that he was grinning at her in the most charming way he could muster. Words failed her.

"You son of a—" Okay, so not that many words failed her. It was just the bad ones that came out of her mouth. She stopped herself before she would curse, and she sat back, a whoosh of frustrated air coming out of her lungs.

"Why don't you cuss?" Inuyasha asked, genuinely curious. Kagome gave him a dirty look.

"I'm not speaking to you," Kagome said.

"You just did," Inuyasha pointed out. She threw him another dirty look and refused to speak. Inuyasha sighed as he sat back. The waiter from earlier returned, holding a basket of fries and a burger. Kagome smiled up at him, and he winked at her. She seemed startled, and as Inuyasha watched, became more uncomfortable as she became aware of the waiter's intentions.

The waiter leaned down, ignoring Inuyasha and speaking to Kagome. Obviously, Mr. Waiter saw that she was in a little snit with Inuyasha and decided to take advantage of that.

"I'm not supposed to be talking to customers, but you're so cute I just had to say something," he said easily, smiling down at her. She smiled uneasily, and Inuyasha let a growl slowly make its way up. The guy touched Kagome's cheek, and Inuyasha's growl turned into a full-blown snarl. Mr. Waiter decided it was a good time to scamper away, unable to leave his number. Kagome threw a glare at him, and opened her mouth to speak to him, but remembering her vow, snapped it shut.

"What?" Inuyasha snapped at her, noticing the disapproving glares she threw at him. She didn't even acknowledge him after that, chomping down on her fries viciously. Inuyasha sighed, and the waitress from before came, and took his order. He frowned. Why couldn't they just have one waiter for their table? And _not _the one that was all over Kagome. He growled again, smelling his scent lingering. When the girl came back, it was Inuyasha this time that was oblivious to her attentions, only trying to achieve eye contact with Kagome.

"Look, I'm sorry," Inuyasha bit out sourly. It usually wasn't him who was apologizing, but her stubbornness gave him no way out. She instantly turned to him, her frown gone and replaced with an easy smile.

"Now was that so hard?" Kagome asked, biting into her burger with victory and relish. She could swear that making Inuyasha apologize to her made the burger's taste increase by at least ten times.

"So why don't you cuss?" Inuyasha asked again, going back to the question before she had stopped talking to him. Kagome shrugged.

"Because I figure that I don't need immature words that don't even _mean _insults to express myself," she said, biting into her burger again. Inuyasha picked up his own fry, putting it into his mouth and chewing thoughtfully. "Think about it," Kagome continued, after swallowing a mouthful of her burger. "The F word only means to have sex with someone. The B words only mean female dog and a boy that doesn't have a father, and the S word means poo, and—"

"I get it," Inuyasha snapped, shoving another fry into his mouth. "I call you bitch sometimes, because I'm a dog demon." Kagome gave him a blank look. Inuyasha sighed. "I think of other females as dogs as well. It's a habit from home. My dad called my mom his bitch when she was only a human." He sighed, draping his arms across the back of the booth and leaning back. "So when I call you bitch, I don't mean it as an insult."

"You know, you could have explained this _before _you say I'm a bitch," Kagome said darkly, putting the remainder of her burger down.

"And miss out on your righteous indignation? No way." Inuyasha chuckled as Kagome glared at him.

"And what about 'wench'? Is that another common dog-demon term for endearment?" Kagome asked scathingly. Inuyasha smirked.

"No, that's calling you a wench because you _are _one," Inuyasha said. He caught the fry she threw at him in his mouth, chewing it with the same gusto that she had first chewed her hamburger.

"Jerk," Kagome murmured, stewing on her seat. Inuyasha grinned at her.

"Glad you noticed. So what do you want to do on our second date?" Inuyasha asked, cutting into her retort. She looked flustered, he thought. Deliciously, scandalously, flustered.

"I don't know…" she clapped her hands excitedly. "Let's go to the club again. I'm in the mood for dancing." Inuyasha raised an eyebrow at her and shrugged.

"My car, or your car?" Inuyasha asked. Kagome shrugged.

"Your car's fine. It's a lot cooler, anyways," she said. Inuyasha smiled proudly. "Where'd you get the money to do that to it anyways? What _is _your job?" Inuyasha momentarily panicked. He couldn't tell her he was Hanyou! She would tune into his station and definitely recognize his voice!

"I'm… kind of an advice-giver. Like, a therapist," Inuyasha said, and nearly slapped himself for such a stupid lie. If he was anyone's therapist, they would end up dead, either by his hand or their own.

"Really?" Kagome asked suspiciously. She couldn't imagine him in a small office, talking patiently to people who needed advice on their own sanity. Definitely couldn't see him like that. "Are you sure…?" she asked slowly. Inuyasha scowled at her.

"Of course I'm sure!" he said, huffing impatiently. _Boy, I should get an Oscar_, Inuyasha thought proudly. Kagome still looked suspicious but decided to drop the matter. If he wanted to keep his job a secret, that didn't matter. They both left, leaving tips for their own respective waiters.

They got into Inuyasha's car, and he looked at her attire. "Don't you want to go home first and change?" Kagome looked at herself and laughed.

"Yeah, I guess I better. This is hardly sexy." Kagome looked distastefully at her own suit. Inuyasha disagreed with her. The suit was clean cut, and was tailored exquisitely to skim her curves. The skirt she wore came to her knees, but still managed to accentuate her long, slim legs. The bottom portion, anyway. Her hair, which had been in a bun while she was at work, was released with a few curly tendrils here and there. He could ravish her right now in the car, and grew hard just thinking about it. "What?" she snapped after a while. He blinked, and realized he had been staring at her for what must have been a minute without even moving the car.

"Nothing," he said. Kagome sat back, adjusting her chair so that it was at a certain angle and she was comfortable.

They arrived at her house, and Inuyasha waited in her living room, watching TV while she dressed and reapplied her worn make-up. She came out in a black dress that was shorter on one side than the other, and showed off the long, slim, beautiful legs in high heels. Her hair was put up in a clip with only a few strands coming down from it artfully. Needless to say, his attention was on her and not the TV. Kagome grabbed a purse, and stocked with any immediate feminine items she might need. Then, the cell phone, and then, to Inuyasha's surprise, a pepper spray. She was about to sling the purse onto her shoulder, but Inuyasha grabbed it, and opened it again.

"What are you doing?" Kagome hissed, trying to reach for it and pressing herself against his arm intimately. She didn't seem to notice her position, of course, but Inuyasha did. He did his best to ignore it, but he just knew he would be uncomfortable in his jeans.

He took out the pepper spray and handed it to her, and she gave him a questioning glance. "You don't need that while you're with me," he said. Kagome rolled her eyes.

"Puh-leeze. Save me from overly macho men," Kagome said, then stuck the pepper spray back into her purse despite Inuyasha's protests. "What if I get separated from you at the club? What if you're too busy doing something else? Hm?" she asked, and Inuyasha sputtered, then conceded defeat by scowling.

"Okay, so it's a good idea to have additional protection," he admitted. Kagome smiled.

"As long as you know you're wrong—"

"I never said I was _wrong, _wench," Inuyasha said. Kagome frowned. "I said that additional protection is good, but _I'm _going to be the one to protect you." He snagged her wrist and drew her body to his, looking down at her startled face. She gulped, looking up at his fierce features. She tried to look indifferent, but proved otherwise to Inuyasha at her involuntary shiver as his hand smoothed down her back. "Do I have your permission now?" Inuyasha asked, his breath skimming over her lips and making her tremble in anticipation. She had never felt like this before, and she was scared.

"N-no." Then, more strongly after a deep breath, "No." Inuyasha scowled as he pulled away from her, rubbing a hand over his face.

She struggled to right herself, stumbling as she caught the arm of her sofa. She was breathing hard, and Inuyasha was glaring at her. Then, he sighed.

"I don't suppose I could use your shower for a good, nice, long, cold one?" he asked. The thought of him naked in _her _shower had her shaking her head quickly. And made her mouth water.

Darn it.

"I didn't think so," Inuyasha was saying as he sighed. "Oh well. Let's go." Inuyasha and Kagome went back to his car, and he drove to the club. Crystal was alive with the rhythm of whatever music was playing inside. Kagome pulled on Inuyasha's hand, trying to get him to hurry up as they headed towards the club. "Eager to do something?" Inuyasha murmured, and Kagome instantly let go of his hand, going into the club by herself. He followed at a more leisurely pace, his hands in his pockets as he walked past the bouncer after flashing his ID at him. He was whistling, although even he couldn't hear the high-pitched sound over the loud music. He would probably go deaf, since his ears were so sensitive, but oh well. He had them against his skull to block out most of the sound anyway.

His whistling stopped abruptly as he saw a certain raven-haired girl dancing with another male. Another badly dancing male. "Dammit!" He pushed past people to her, but when he got there, she acted as if he wasn't there.

"Oi! Wench!" He grabbed her wrist, and she looked sternly up at him.

"What?" she yelled over the music.

"Why are you dancing with…" He looked at the human _boy_, who seemed to be boringly ordinary. "_him?_"

"Because I _want _to, stupid," Kagome yelled. Inuyasha narrowed his eyes at her. The other guy tried to butt in, but Inuyasha smoothly stepped in front of him, cutting off his remark.

"Uh… I'll see you next time, Kyra!" he said as he waved his hand and made his way to his table. Inuyasha raised an eyebrow at him, then at her.

"That's the guy from the time I got drunk. I told him my name was Kyra before I got drunk and I ended up with you somehow," Kagome said, scrunching up her nose at him in distaste. He rolled his eyes.

"At least I didn't do the robot," Inuyasha said. Kagome covered her mouth with her hand, but it was too late to smother the choke of laughter that had escaped. Somebody shoved Kagome, sending her sprawling into Inuyasha who caught her. "I guess we should dance, since we're in the middle of the dance floor," Inuyasha said, and grabbed her hips.

She blushed at their close proximity, and brought her hands between them and pushed to lever herself away from his body. He didn't relent, and instead wrapped an arm around her waist to anchor her against him. "Relax. Just dance," Inuyasha instructed, smirking at her. His fingers rubbed little circles in the small of her back, and she nearly moaned at the sensation as she sank into him. He grinned at her response.

It wasn't a slow song, and it was quite the opposite, but it didn't seem to matter to either. Inuyasha kept rubbing the pads of his fingers against her back, and she stayed against him, pleasure surrounding her. Inuyasha subtly moved her, while swaying, to an unoccupied corner. She didn't notice, her face in the hollow of his shoulder. His hand made a slow, maddening journey up to the nape of her neck, where he massaged and made her groan. Inuyasha's pulse jumped at the sound, and raced. He was hard, too, but she didn't seem to notice that either as she was concentrating on the sensations his hand was creating.

"Can I kiss you now?" Inuyasha's voice rumbled, and Kagome lifted her head confusedly.

"What...?" Kagome caught eyes with him, and Inuyasha nearly groaned himself.

"Can I kiss you now?" he repeated again. He lowered his mouth to nip at her lower lip.

"I thought you weren't going to kiss me until I asked you to," Kagome whispered when he pulled away. He leaned his forehead against hers, looking deeply into her eyes.

"That wasn't a kiss. You'll know when I kiss you," Inuyasha rumbled. Kagome's cheeks flushed, and she licked her lips. Her breath was coming quick and fast, a bit erratic since she was trying to control it.

"I…" Kagome leaned away from his head, looking at his face.

"I'll give you the count of five. Then it's over as far as I'm concerned." Inuyasha put her hand on his chest, right over his heart. Even with the beat of the loud music, she could make out the beating of his heart under her hand, and she felt that more than the music.

"One…" This wasn't right. "Two…" She didn't even know him! "Three…" His amber eyes were so bright… "Four…" She really, really wanted to kiss him. "Fi—"

Kagome cut off the last number with her lips, swallowing the sound. He groaned and his hands went behind her head to tangle themselves in her thick tresses. Her right hand stayed on his heart, but the left one went to rub the base of his ear. He scraped his teeth against her bottom lip, then kissed her with a devastating intent.

"Ah…" Kagome involuntarily let the sound out. Inuyasha growled and practically started to ravage her. She stood on her tiptoes, and he moved one hand down, almost covering her whole posterior, and lifting her a little against him. She groaned into his mouth, as he used his tongue, teeth and lips to lay claim to her.

Inuyasha could swear she tasted a lot better than the last time. If he wasn't careful, he would become addicted to this particular honey pot.

To Inuyasha's extreme irritation and anger, somebody bumped into him, making him and Kagome falter. They nearly fell, since they were clearly out of it and wrapped around each other. Kagome blinked, her opaque brown eyes slowly losing their dullness and becoming sharper. He groaned in disappointment as she blinked to dispel the spell that they had put over themselves. She pushed against him, and he stepped back willingly. She was breathing hard, just as he was, and he didn't move his eyes away from her.

"That… was a mistake," Kagome said slowly, her arms wrapping around herself in insecurity. She looked away from his eyes. They seemed like bright amber shards, cutting into her with accusation.

"I gave you the count of five. You were the one to start it. How could that be a mistake? And you weren't drunk this time," Inuyasha bit out. Kagome refused to look at him.

"I…" Inuyasha circled her waist with his hands his eyes glittering with intent.

"That's right, it _wasn't _a mistake, was it?" he said softly. His hand crept to the small of her back and began to rub again. Her head fell forward onto his shoulder with a groan. She tried to lever herself away from him after her moment, and also tried to clear the hazy fog in her brain.

"It _was _a mistake. It was a lapse of sanity, into _insanity_, because that's the only thing that could make me kiss you," Kagome growled, twisting herself out of his grasp. He growled back at her, irritated and frustrated with her.

"You feel lust for me, I feel lust for you, why not try to sate it?" Inuyasha asked, making a grab for her. Somehow, she evaded him, dodging between people's bodies. He tried to follow her, more clumsily.

She strode out of the club, angry and frustrated. Inuyasha was there a few moments later, whirling her around to face him.

"What the hell? Don't _ever _do that again!" he yelled at her. He had to run interference for her with at least three men who were intent on following her!

"_Don't_ tell me what to do!" Kagome yelled back, trying to push his clawed hands away. Inuyasha grit his teeth.

"Why the hell are you so angry?" he asked, stepping in front of her so she couldn't walk away. She seethed silently, refusing to look at him. He took her chin in his grasp, lifting her face to look at his. "Why?" he asked in a slightly softer tone. She stared at him hard, then sighed in defeat.

"Not everything is about sex, Inuyasha." With that, she walked to his car, clearly not divulging any details about what she had just said. Inuyasha, frowning, followed. "I want to go home," she said quietly. Inuyasha stared at her, and how she seemed to be so insecure with her arms wrapped around herself and staring off into the distance.

"Okay," he answered quietly, opening the car doors and letting her in. He had an immense urge to just pick her up and hold her against him, but that wasn't right.

It was just lust. Right?

* * *

**wk: **Okay, the reason why this particular chapter took so long was I made an effort to make it a little longer than other chapters. I'm not sure I'm going to be spending so much time on one chapter again, but another factor could be that school's gonna start again soon, and work is slowly killing me. Ah, well... you do what you gotta, right? Okay, so that's the end of chapter four. Wait for the next one! Now, for the...

**_ReViEw oF rEvIeWs_**:

Okay, first I'd like to thank **Krystal-Drumm**, or Krystal, for so doggedly sticking to my stories. Your compliments and comments have gotten me far. Thanks for loving my stories! They love you back. ;)

Well, I must say, that I _have _thought of that story line, **silentslayer**. You'll just have to wait, though, to see if I use it. Mwaha. Evil.

Thanks, **Daddy's Pixie**! Haha, I hope this one was worth the wait... I'm afraid I took a little longer this time... (Winces) =( Sorry!

Haha, glad you so happy, **Wheezambu**! Thanks for... uh... ABSO-FREAKING-LUTELY loving my story! Hehe, and compliments only make my big head bigger.

1 word, **BoY CrAzZe 143**: Thanks! Haha, hope this one was a "Wow" too.

No problem, **inuyasha's girl**! I answer everyone's reviews, or try to, unless it was so short that I really had no response to it. =/ Hehe, glad you waited though! Sorry it took so long... (Sighs)

Haha, thanks. I know that Kagome would likely cuss, but... I'm saving it for a special occasion. You'll know when you see it, but it won't be for a while yet. I think. Sometimes, things just don't turn out the way I mean for them to. My fingers, as I've said before, have brains in the very tips and write of their own accord. And hell yeah I loved your ideas, **drake220**! Too bad that it just wouldn't work! Otherwise it would be perfect. (Sighs with resignation) Thanks so much for getting me started though! You and **Esther Tan**! =)

Thanks so much **Bella-chan**! Your compliments have spurred me forward! Haha, I'm sure my writing isn't THAT great, but I think I'm doing a little better now. I wish I had more reviews too, but hey... Can't wish for everything, right? Meh heh. I'm so happy this story wasn't boring for you! I tried really hard not to bore my readers in the beginning, since I think there are too many stories like that, professional or just fanfiction. =) Thanks so much again, and keep reading!

Yeah, I think I will give Inuyasha and Kagome a "Kikyou Break", like in my other story, "Neighborly Love". I really don't know how she can come back in this story without making it seem too... too... Eh, I dunno. And yes, Sesshoumaru is still Inuyasha's half brother no matter what. Of course, I don't see HOW they're related, especially in their manner, but... what can you do? (Shrugs) Haha. And, again, you and **drake220** have given me another great idea on how Sesshoumaru will be involved in this story! He will be another politician or a tycoon or whatever, but he'll know who Inuyasha, or "Hanyou" is. They're just not on good terms, but when he hears Naraku is starting to put some pressure on Hanyou, he'll step in smoothly and defend his half-brother, albeit a bit reluctantly. THANKS SO MUCH **Esther Tan**! Great great great! And _maybe _he'll be married to Rin... you'll have to continue to read and find out! Mwahahaha...

I know I updated a little late, **ilikesaddleshoes**, but do I still get the chocolate bunny for making the chapter longer? Maybe? Perhaps? Haha, that's okay. I like tomorrow better anyways. It seems that these days, the tomorrows are all I wait for. Hehe, thanks for thinking I actually managed this story line. Tell me if I need improvement please!

Shippo will definitely enter the story soon, **l1d0 krn guh**! I just need to find out a way to put him in... (Sighs) Think of something for me please! My brain is refusing to work!

THANKS, **Saiyou-the-lover**! Haha, wait for the next one!

Thanks so much, **PeachesDani**! I hope this chapter wasn't too late for you! Looking forward to you reading the next chapter! =D

Thanks for the eye, **Penguine**! Anxiousness to read more is always good. =D

Well, **Xx tickle me ElmoXx**, I have to say I had to think a while to think of this story line, since I was trying to think of something no one else has done. Too bad I don't know that much about the profession, or else my writing would be a whole lot better. (Sighs) Thanks for liking my story so much!

Haha, hope you waited, **Starrchick101**! And there will definitely be other couples. I've already hinted at Sango/Miroku, although I didn't hint it very strongly. Sorry about that, and I'll make sure to include other people. I don't know why my focus is so narrow. It's like I can only see Kagome and Inuyasha. Whoops. Well, just remind me to put other people into it, and I'll gladly do it! Love ya! And I wasn't planning on stopping anytime soon... =D

Who gets through the doors, **xbuNNix**? If you're talking about Inuyasha, then he sneaks out the back to his car, and if you're talking about Myouga, he can squeeze under any crack under a door since he's so small. Either that or hop on any of the myriad of people that come in and out of the building and... Voila! (Grins) Sorry I updated so late. Wait for the next one again! (Winces) =)


	5. Smokin!

**

* * *

Disclaimer: **Not minnee!! 

**wk: **Oh my goodness... I'm bacckk!! I'm **_so _**sorry for not updating sooner... Things have been sooo hectic. I have school (college) and work, and homework, and work, and school, and... and... (Sighs) It's just hard to find the time now. Well, to make this update special, I made it extra long! 10-12 pages on Word! Dang, right? I spent some times writing this much as well. Okay, well, here's the next chapter!

**Chapter Five  
Smokin'!**

Kagome groaned as her something kept on ringing in her mind, rousing her slowly. She glared balefully at her clock, when she realized it wasn't buzzing. It sounded like her doorbell chime. Sighing, she got up, in her silk pajamas and walked to the front door. She squinted an eye through the peephole, and saw that it was—

She saw all the colors of the rainbow as the door suddenly opened and crashed into her face. She fell on her bum, clutching her poor nose.

"Ow!" She squealed, the tears in her eyes threatening to spill over. Eri quickly threw her purse on the couch, going to help Kagome out.

"Oh my gosh! Are you okay? You didn't answer the door so I remembered that you kept your door unlocked and I didn't expect—"

"Shut up! My nose hurts!" Kagome wailed, pushing off Eri's concerned hands. She lurched to her feet, and groaned as the blood filling her nose decided there was too much and pushed most of it out.

"Oh God!" Eri said, looking green and pale at the same time. She hated the sight of blood. Kagome quickly walked to the bathroom, holding her head back so the blood would go to the back of her throat instead of on the carpet. When she was in the bathroom, she dabbed at her nose, wincing at the amount of blood pouring out.

"Darn it!" Kagome breathed viciously, pinching her nose to stem the bleeding, and leaning over the sink. There was a knock on the bathroom door.

"Kagome, are you all right?" Eri yelled.

"I'b fine!" Kagome said, talking like a person with a really bad cold.

"I'm so sorry! I just came to tell you that Tama is out of critical condition now. And Ayumi said that she would be calling as soon as she could get him into a bed that doesn't have nurses hovering around. I'll… uh… get out of your—"

"Darnib! Don'b you dare!" Kagome came out, dabbing the last of the blood away. "Did it stop?" she asked.

"It must have," Eri said gravely. "You can say your t's now." Kagome glowered at Eri.

"Anyway. What happened?" Kagome asked concernedly, still dabbing under her nose. She threw the tissue away in the wastebasket next to her couch.

"Tama came out of critical condition."

"That's good," Kagome said with a relieved sigh. "I've been meaning to see him, but Inuyasha wrangled me into a hopeless situation."

"Inuyasha? The guy I left you with—"

"Why _exactly _did you do that? You know, you could have called a taxi," Kagome said softly, signaling the coming of her temper. Eri looked around nervously.

"Yeah, I'm the one that came instead of Ayumi to explain that. You know how I am Kagome! I can't think in snap decisions! And I got Inuyasha's license number and—"

"It wouldn't matter if I ended up in his trunk," Kagome hissed. Eri looked fidgety as she glanced at her surroundings again.

"So I was stupid, but Tama was in the _hospital_. Or do you think he wasn't important?" Eri said slyly, knowing Kagome wouldn't say anything to that.

"But I could've been _killed_." Kagome muttered, and sighed. "Well, I wasn't, so I suppose I can forgive you. But I must remind you, I'm in a bad situation because of you," Kagome said, throwing a glare at Eri. Eri disregarded the glare and leaned forward eagerly, as if about to be told a story.

"So what happened?" Eri asked, trying to keep the excitement out of her voice. Kagome rolled her eyes.

"He's blackmailing me into going out with him twenty-three consecutive times," Kagome said. "And he said after that is up for discussion. If we still want to see each other, then we will. That's what he said anyway. Psh. Like I'm gonna go out with him a second after the twenty-three days is up."

"He's cute though," Eri said thoughtfully, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively. Kagome threw a small pillow at Eri.

"Puh-leeze. That doesn't say anything for personality," Kagome pointed out.

"But you _do _admit that he's cute," Eri said.

"Well, maybe…" Kagome said, leaning back on the couch and giving an easy smile. Eri screeched.

"What have you two done to put _that _smile on your face?" Eri threw the small pillow back at Kagome. Kagome, red in the face, scowled.

"Nothing!" Kagome said indignantly, huffing and crossing her arms over her chest.

"Yeah right. So is he—"

Suddenly, there was a horrible sound on the other side of Kagome's front door, and the door slammed open. Panicked, Eri and Kagome scrambled to their feet, looking around for a weapon. However, when Kagome saw a flash of silver, she relaxed.

"Inuyasha, you—"

"What the hell happened?" Inuyasha snarled. Kagome now knew what that horrible sound before her door was nearly kicked down was. It was his snarl.

"What the who?" Kagome asked intelligently, as he grasped her upper arms and pulled her against him, his nose sniffing her.

"I smell your blood," Inuyasha growled. He turned to Eri, recognizing her but not caring. "What the hell did you do?" he growled dangerously. Kagome awkwardly thumped his shoulder with the heel of her hand, since he was still holding her captive.

"Dang it, Inuyasha! I just hit my nose and it started bleeding!" Kagome yelled, bringing his attention back to her. He relaxed, instantly letting go of her arms.

"Damn. Protective, are we?" Eri asked slyly, and watched as Inuyasha fidgeted.

"No!" he snapped, and Eri rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, right. Today's the third day that you guys will be seeing each other, and you have the guts to tell me that there are no feelings?" Eri asked.

"Said feeling should not be discussed in front of little girls," Inuyasha growled, and Eri blushed as Kagome stiffened. Inuyasha didn't realize his mistake as he turned to her. "Kagome—"

"Today's Saturday. Get out," Kagome said softly. Inuyasha looked taken aback.

"Oi, what's wrong with you?" Inuyasha asked, taking her upper arms into his grasp once more. Kagome lifted her head to glance at him, and he found himself shocked by the expression. It was anger.

"I told you last night something that you should have gotten into your thick skull. And you said we're not going out on weekends, so _get out_. Or this whole deal goes out the window," Kagome hissed. Eri started to inch out the door.

"Um… I think… I hear my mother calling," she said lamely, and slipped out, the door closing with a soft click. Kagome and Inuyasha didn't hear. They were staring at each other, Inuyasha with incredulity and Kagome with temper.

"What did you tell me last night?" Inuyasha asked, his head cocking to one side. Kagome rolled her eyes and tried to wrench her arms from his hold. His grip became tighter, although not painfully so. "Tell me."

"I told you that it shouldn't be just about sex. I don't want my first boyfriend to be just about sex. All about sex." Kagome started to shake, and she put her arms around herself to stop it.

"Are you okay?" Inuyasha asked, instantly concerned. He had felt the shiver go through her. Kagome sighed, and it seemed like all the fight went out of her.

"You're just like Kouga," Kagome said, glaring up at him. Okay, so almost all the fight. "All you want is some booty. All of you men are just alike. That's _exactly _why I've never dated before."

"How do you know what all men are like if you've never even dated one?" Inuyasha countered.

"If you watch the mistakes of others, then you can learn as easily from them as you do your own. That's what _I _learned through life. Tell me, Inuyasha. What did _you _learn in life?" Kagome asked, turning around. His hands fell away from her arms, and she walked a few paces away before his quiet question reached her.

"So are you afraid?"

Kagome whirled, her head high. He admired the way she squared her shoulders when she was met with a challenge. And the gleam in her eye had returned.

"Scared? No. Cautious? Smart? Yes," Kagome said.

"Cautious and scared go hand in hand," Inuyasha murmured, loud enough for her to hear. She bristled.

"Look, buster. I don't care what you say. All you need to do now is get out of my house," Kagome growled, pointing to the door. Inuyasha started toward it, knowing that his lips were curving upwards in glee.

"I understand if you're scared. I mean, it happens to the best of females all the—"

Kagome gave a sound of frustration, and stomped to him. She was going to punch him in the back of the head. She drew her fist back and she watched her target whirl around and catch that fist in his.

First, she was astounded. Then, she was mad that she didn't get to hit him. Third, she was angry since he was smirking.

Her knee came up to connect with his groin painfully, but he seemed to have anticipated that move as well. He sidestepped smoothly, still keeping her fist in his grasp, and for a moment, she was off balance, teetering on leg and one arm captive.

It was all he needed.

He pushed her a little, and she fell. Right before she hit the ground, his arm wrapped around her waist, and it looked as if he was dipping her while dancing. Bent backward over his arm, he had a nice view of the top of her breasts, her pajama top coming undone little by little. He had the thought to ravish her, her throat exposed to his gaze. He pulled her back up, and she was flushed since the blood went to her head the short time she was dipped.

"Inu—" He cut her off with his mouth, swallowing the rest of his name. She instantly responded, her arms going around his neck for her own balance. His tongue touched hers and she was thrown into another world, as she tasted him. He groaned as he tasted her, felt her underneath his palms. His right hand went to the hem of her shirt, slipping under the cloth to stroke the cluster of nerves in the small of her back with his claws. She responded with a cry and a reflexive arch against him.

"You're really sensitive there," Inuyasha murmured against her lips.

"Hm," she hummed, nibbling on his bottom lip. Inuyasha pulled away, but she followed, her teeth almost painfully latching onto his lip.

"Kagome… stop, or I'm gonna lose my head and you're gonna end up on your back with me between your legs," Inuyasha muttered, and Kagome only hummed again. Then she stopped when the words registered.

She quickly took a step away from him, breathing hard and clutching her stomach like she was going to be sick.

What the hell am I thinking?! She thought.

Inuyasha put his hands in his pockets, looking at her under heavy lids.

"I want you to know, I instigated that, but you reacted just as well, if not more, than I did," Inuyasha said to her. She gulped and nodded. She had to accept the facts, and she wasn't one to lie. Even to herself. Well, only sometimes. "And I did get your permission. Yesterday."

"That wasn't a permission!" she snapped.

"You started a kiss. And I asked you first. That's good enough for me!" he yelled back.

"I still didn't say yes!" Kagome yelled. Soon, she was poking her finger into his chest, and he kept his fists balled in his jacket. He grit his teeth as he fought not to tangle his hands into her hair and drag her over to the couch to have his way with her.

"—and not to mention you're a pompous—"

Fuck that.

His hand shot out so fast that she didn't see it. Only felt it as it pushed her so that she was up against him. She "Eep!"ed, but didn't get to say anything else as his mouth crushed hers once more. She moaned and relented again, her mouth opening under his. Just as he began to pull her towards the couch, the front door opened, and Eri was standing there, looking sheepish. Kagome jumped from Inuyasha, but yelped as her hair snagged on his claws.

"What do you want?" Inuyasha snarled at Eri, and she looked up at him, surprised. What did she expect? Inuyasha thought wryly. He had just been interrupted while trying to seduce the young minx into spreading her legs for him.

"I… forgot my purse here…" she said in a weak, timid voice. He snorted, and looked around. The purse was on the couch, right where he had been leading Kagome. Speaking of Kagome, she was throwing him dirty looks, trying to get her hair untangled from his grasping fingers. He tightened his hold, making her wriggle and yelp.

Eri quickly evaded Kagome's flailing arms and retrieved the purse. Quickly murmuring her apology, she was once again on her way out the door.

"Let go!" Kagome yelled, attempting to pry his fingers out of her hair. Inuyasha looked down at her with such an intense stare that she paused for a stunned moment. "I said let go you—"

"Jerk?" Inuyasha supplied. Kagome fumed silently, gritting her teeth.

"Look, buster. This is _not _a comfortable position. If you don't let go of me, I'll…"

"You'll what?" Inuyasha asked, leaning down to brush his lips against hers. The first touch of lip to lip had Kagome reeling, and she forgot what she was talking about.

"I'll…" she stopped talking when he brushed his lips with hers once more. Her knees became liquid and she leaned on him, letting him support her body weight effortlessly.

"You'll what, Kagome?" Inuyasha whispered. Kagome shook her head, denying that he speak.

"Kiss me," she demanded, and he did as ordered. However, instead of the heat and fire this time, his lips took hers with exquisite tenderness, lulling her to a soft seduction instead of a flashing temptation. She felt her heartstrings quiver, and that was what ultimately made her pull away. She licked her lips, looked up at him. They stared at each other for what they would call indefinable moments, trying to figure out what had happened.

Something had changed.

She tried to speak, but her voice came out hoarse, so she cleared her throat. Then, she said, "Why are you here?"

"I thought that was obvious," Inuyasha said huskily.

"But you said Saturdays…"

"I can't seem to keep myself away from you," Inuyasha answered truthfully. Slowly, he let go of her, and she shifted so that she was carrying her own weight now.

"So what do you want to do?" Kagome asked, looking uncomfortable now. Inuyasha shrugged, looking nonchalant as if his world hadn't just been tipped off balance.

"What I would _like _to do is out of the question, so it's your decision," Inuyasha drawled. Kagome blushed, and looked down at herself. Bloody pajamas. Possibly the hottest kiss she'd had—or could remember—had been in her bloody pajamas. She gave a noise of despair and she went to her bedroom.

"I'll be out in a second! Just let me freshen up and change!" She showered, a quick five-minute shower, then slithered into dark blue jeans and a crisp, white tank top. She pulled her hair into a braid that fell down her back, and she brushed her teeth and washed her face, scrubbing until it was a healthy shade of pink. She walked out, and Inuyasha felt another kick of lust in his gut. Nearly groaning, he shoved his hands into his pockets again.

"Do you want to go out like that?" Inuyasha asked, eyeing her bare arms.

"We're gonna go out?" Kagome asked, surprised. Inuyasha shrugged.

"Doesn't matter to me. But with the state I'm in right now, I think it would be better to be in public," Inuyasha murmured. Kagome blushed, and grabbed a light jacket by the door.

"Where are we going to go?" Kagome asked as she opened the door.

"The park. Let's go there, eat a hot dog, and just walk around," Inuyasha said. Kagome looked at him suspiciously. Inuyasha noticed the look and asked, "What?"

"Who gave you that idea? It seems too mellow and pleasant to be coming from you," Kagome said. Inuyasha scowled.

"I can be mellow and pleasant, just not when I'm around you, wench," he snapped. Kagome turned to lock the door, rolling her eyes.

"Oh yeah. Real pleasant," she said sarcastically, locking the door.

Inuyasha grit his teeth. So what if it _had _been Miroku's idea? It had also been his idea to take Kagome out on a "forbidden Saturday", as he called it. It would appeal to her that he wasn't just seeing her merely for the sake of a deal, and to seduce her, but that he really enjoyed her company and blah blah blah. Miroku really did need to shut his mouth once and see how he liked it instead of yapping away like an overexcited dog.

Inuyasha inwardly winced at his own analogy. _I should have never let him talk me into—_

Inuyasha instantly came alert as he heard Kagome's scream. She had all of a sudden stopped at his side, and he whirled, facing her and raking his eyes over her to make sure she didn't have any injuries.

"What's the hell's wrong with you?" Inuyasha demanded of her, incensed that she had just scared the wits out of him.

She pointed to his means of travel and shouted, "What is _that_?!" Inuyasha smirked, now seeing the reason for her fright.

"That, woman, is a motorcycle."

* * *

Inuyasha grinned. After nearly half an hour of cajoling, teasing, and merciless dares, she had finally gotten on behind him. She had demanded to know why he didn't bring his car. He responded that he had a motorcycle _and _a car. He had given her a helmet to shut her up, and felt powerful as she clutched almost painfully around his waist. She had shrieked when he had peeled out of her driveway. 

Now, she had her thighs clutching the monster between her legs tightly while her arms were spread wide, reveling in the open air. He raced in between cars, and Kagome clutched tightly to his jacket as he leaned to the side with the motorcycle as he made a left turn.

He coasted to a stop, using one leg as a support for the motorcycle until Kagome got off. She jumped off, tearing her helmet off of her head, and strapped it into her seat dutifully. Inuyasha only let his helmet hang on a handlebar, and kicked the support down, and took the key out.

Inuyasha circled Kagome's waist with an arm, bringing her up against him.

"So how was your first ride on a motorcycle?" Inuyasha asked. Kagome smiled up at him, and lifted herself onto her toes to give him a smacking kiss to his surprise. "I'll take you on a ride more often, and not just one on a vehicle either," Inuyasha murmured low in a promise. She gave a quick shiver and laughed at his words.

"It was exhilarating!" Kagome said, too gleeful to be pissed off at his suggestive words. Inuyasha smiled indulgently at her. Keeping his arm around her waist, he walked with her in the quiet park.

"So, does this mean you like me now?" Inuyasha asked, his eyebrow quirking. Kagome stifled a laugh at his pleading expression, and solemnly shook her head.

"One ride will not make me like you, buster," Kagome said, tossing her hair and hitting him in the face with it. The scent of chocolate and vanilla filled his nose, and he whirled her into his arms. Surprised, she gripped his upper arms, blinking owlishly at him.

"What if I take you on another ride?" Inuyasha murmured, his nose going into her hair to drown in her scent.

It was useless, Kagome thought, to fight off the growing attraction any longer. She had never been so sexually attracted to a man before, and she might as well go with the flow now. Whatever happened from here on out, she wouldn't regret.

So, she looped her arms around his neck, to his surprise, and she smiled cattily up at him. "I don't know. Want to give it a try when I'm ready for it?" she practically purred. Inuyasha felt aroused, but he also felt honored that she was seriously considering giving him her chastity. He gave her a chaste kiss, and pulled away.

"We'll have to try… later," Inuyasha said huskily. Kagome nodded. A bubble of laughter escaped her lips, and he looked at her questioningly. She nodded in a direction, and he looked to see what was so funny. A disapproving old couple was sitting on the bench, trying to discreetly feed the pigeons when Inuyasha looked their way. "They would be so scarred for life if they knew what I was thinking instead of what I was doing," Inuyasha muttered, and was delighted to hear Kagome laugh.

It was only the third day she knew him, the third date that they had been on. Should she count this one? Should this be a non-date since he said Saturdays don't count anyway? No. No matter what happened, she would count this day, since this was the day that everything had changed.

Something had altered, and now she knew her answer at the end of the twenty-three days. She would stay with him until they got tired of each other. The scary thing, she thought as he gave her another quick kiss, was that she didn't know if she was going to get tired of him.

* * *

They talked—well, argued mostly—during their long walk throughout the entire park. They bought cheap—but good—hot dogs from a vendor in the street, and continued their walk back to his motorcycle. Inuyasha polished off his hot dog in a matter of seconds, and watched curiously as Kagome took dainty bites, chewing carefully. They were so different, like sugar and salt, and yet they mixed so well. 

"Inuyasha," Kagome inquired, her hand tugging on the sleeve of his jacket.

"What?" she beamed up at him.

"If you take me to the grocery store, I'll make dinner for us," Kagome said. Inuyasha felt the hunger pangs in his stomach, despite having eaten a hot dog.

"Okay," he agreed readily. He drove them to the nearby store, and told her not to buy much since he didn't think he could carry much on the motorcycle. She agreed, and he waited outside for her, listening to his engine rumble. Nearly ten minutes later, she came out, carrying two bags.

He then drove to her house, carrying the bags inside while she pranced in. Grumbling the whole way, he deposited the bags on her kitchen counter.

"I'm not your stupid service dog, wench," Inuyasha grit out.

"I know you aren't," Kagome said airily, taking things out of the bag. She took out various pots, boiling water and taking out frying pans as well. Inuyasha went to the living room to wait and watch TV. Soon, she had miso, rice, rice rolls, scrambled eggs, and some veggies.

Inuyasha's mouth watered when he saw all the food, and immediately went to work on making it disappear.

Kagome scowled at his horrible manners, but decided to just let him eat instead. She hummed with pleasure as she bit into the food she had made herself.

"It's good, isn't it?" Kagome said, picking up a rice roll. Inuyasha nodded.

"I personally like ramen… Nothing can get better than ramen, but compared to everything else, your food ain't half bad," Inuyasha said gleefully. A spoon hit him squarely on the nose, making him yelp and drop his chopsticks. "What was that for?" he yelled.

"That was for being an insensitive jerk that doesn't car what a woman does for him!" Kagome yelled back. Inuyasha swore as he thought back to what he said and her burning eyes. He quickly went around the table, drawing her resisting body into his arms.

"I'm sorry. It's just that ramen is my favorite food. It was what my mother served me most when I was young since we didn't have much money at first," he said softly. Kagome stopped resisting and rested her head on his shoulder, listening. "I really do like your food." Kagome gave him a watery smile, and gave him a small kiss.

"Okay. Sorry for getting all moody on you. I think I'm getting near my period. Let's sit down and eat."

"No problem," Inuyasha muttered, wondering why he had just told her everything he had. He didn't even tell Miroku about his childhood. _Oh well_, he thought as he sat down in his seat again, going back to his food.

After they had eaten, it was dark outside, and they ended up curling next to each other on her sofa, watching movies on TV.

Eventually, Kagome fell asleep on his lap, a pillow under her head. Inuyasha unconsciously stroked her hair, watching the movie that had bored her. When the movie was over, and he looked down, quickly withdrawing his hand when he noticed what it was doing.

He stared at his hand as if it was another entity, keeping it away from his body as if it was infested with unknown germs that would kill him.

Never mind that he had never been sick a day of his life.

Kagome stirred, but only to shift her position so that she was facing his stomach. He sucked in his breath, waiting for her to wake up and get off of him. She didn't move.

"Kagome… wake up," he said to her, nudging her shoulder. She groaned but didn't move. He nudged harder. "Kagome… My leg's falling asleep." No answer. "Kagome… dammit!" He nudged even harder, and didn't expect her to roll off. He made a desperate attempt to keep her on the couch, but gravity followed its nature. She yelped as she woke all of a sudden, and hit the ground.

Thump.

There was a wail, and Inuyasha winced as she bumped her head on the side of the small table. There was a pause, and another wail.

"That hurrrtt!" Kagome rubbed the small bump on her head, tears in her eyes. Inuyasha leaned down, picking her up from the floor and depositing her on his lap. She didn't notice, still hazy with sleep and her head throbbing.

Inuyasha felt her head for the bump, but as soon as he touched it, she hissed and pushed his hand away. "I told you it hurts!" Kagome yelled, pushing away from him. She almost fell again, but he grabbed her by the waist, and she finally noticed her position. Her face flaming red, she jumped off of him, noticing the smoldering look he was throwing at her.

However, concern overriding lust, Inuyasha stood in front of her, feeling the bump again. She pushed his hand away again, yelping.

"Don't touch it!" Kagome yelled. Inuyasha sighed.

"Stop being such a big baby and let me look at it."

"It's fine!" she snapped. Inuyasha shrugged.

"I was just worried that something could rattle your brain even more than it was already," Inuyasha said mildly. Kagome bristled.

"I'm tired, I'm grumpy, don't mess with me," she warned. Inuyasha rolled his eyes.

"God forbid I mess with _Kagome_, the goddess of grouchiness when sleepy," Inuyasha mocked, and Kagome pouted. "Anyway, it's late. I'm gonna be heading for home." He started to walk to the door, desperate to get home and take a cold shower.

"Wait!" Kagome called, and Inuyasha turned, hopeful. Something hit him in the face, and he looked at it as it fell to his hands. "You forgot your jacket," Kagome said sweetly, walking him to the door and closing the door in his face. Stupefied, Inuyasha stood there for at least a minute more, blinking with confusion. Then he smiled.

There was no doubt that she would keep him on his toes.

* * *

Inuyasha ambled his way into the place where he worked on Monday, the place where he spent most of his week. He sat down heavily. Miroku sat across from him, speechless and flabbergasted. 

This was the first time that Inuyasha had come earlier than expected.

"Inuyasha…" Miroku said in awe. Miroku glanced at Sango who was standing in the corner with a cup of coffee in hand, shrugging helplessly. "You're… You're _early_." Miroku said gravely, as if it meant the world would end. Inuyasha sighed.

"Guys… I'm in it up to my neck."

"No kidding. You're _early_," Miroku repeated, and Inuyasha snarled at him.

"I can't stop _thinking_ about that damn wench!" Inuyasha grit out. "It took me _forever _to just get to sleep!" Miroku looked at Sango, who nodded her head above Inuyasha. Miroku looked at the sign, that said "On Air", and noticed it was on. Inuyasha was babbling on and on about the wench, and he was on air. "Damn her! Damn Ka—"

"So _Kikyou _won't get out of your head, huh, Hanyou?" Miroku said smoothly before Inuyasha could accidentally utter Kagome's name. Inuyasha looked at Miroku, confused, and then understanding dawned on him.

"Crap! What the (beep)!" Inuyasha snarled, jumping to his feet. "They weren't supposed to hear that!"

"Oh, looks like we have a little caller," Miroku cooed, delighted with Inuyasha's predicament.

"Hi! That is _so _sweet! Hanyou, you should so go for it! Maybe you could even have babies and grandsons and granddaughters and—" Inuyasha hit the hang up button.

"Lord. Okay. No. No. No. This _cannot _be happening to me!" Inuyasha yelled in frustration. "I told you people! _One o' clock! _Somebody call in with a different topic, unless you want to see Miroku dead." Miroku sighed.

"Always happy to be the subject of a painful blackmail," he mumbled.

"Shut up, you idiot," Inuyasha snapped. Miroku rolled his eyes.

"Very mature, Hanyou." Inuyasha ignored him.

"Okay, I'm not sure if this is a good topic… Oh, my name's Takahashi by the way. Taka, for short—"

"Yeah, okay, we get it," Inuyasha said, sitting down again, frowning.

"All right… Well… I was walking one day, and I nearly got hit by a car. I am sick and tired of people thinking they can get away with hit and runs."

Inuyasha blinked. "Well… That was random, but I can't say that I'm not grateful for the change. Well, I say people drive however they want as long as they don't injure, kill, maim, or even bump someone. And please. If you hit an animal, stop on the side of the road and help it out. There might still be a chance to save it. Besides, you people hit too many dogs. Really pisses me off. They could still be alive, and some people would just continue to run over them."

"Yeah, I know! Gosh, you know—"

"Okay, next topic," Inuyasha cut in, disconnecting the call and reading a note that Miroku had written: "Sex. Miroku, you're not too picky, are you?" Miroku shrugged. Inuyasha sighed. "All right. Just to appease my friend here, who has gotten a good roll in the hay?" Immediately, the red light came on that indicated a call. Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Okay, who's speaking right now?"

"Katie from Wisconsin," she said in Japanese.

"You can speak Japanese?" Inuyasha asked, impressed.

"Well, I only moved here two years ago, so yes, I hope I can still speak Japanese," she said sarcastically. Inuyasha scoffed.

"So what are _you _calling for?"

"Well, I have a boyfriend here. He… Well, he really knows how to please me and all, but… Sometimes, it's like he just looks out for himself, and his pleasure only. What do I do?"

"Allow me, Hanyou," Miroku said with a grin.

"Whatever," Inuyasha groused.

"Well," Miroku started, "if you dump him and come over here, I can show you how _I _pleasure both—"

"PG-13, please," Inuyasha growled. Miroku gave him a wry look.

"And your cussing doesn't make normal discussions R-rated?" Before Inuyasha could answer, Miroku said to Katie, "Seriously though, I think you should dump him if he's that selfish. Just dump his stupid ass, and move on to the next guy. Now, I'll give you my number, so—"

Inuyasha pushed the button, ending the call. "Whoops. Did I do that?" he asked innocently. Miroku rolled his eyes.

"Just because you're not getting lucky with Kikyou doesn't mean that you should take your frustration out on the rest of us humans, Hanyou," Miroku said.

"Dammit, shut up. I _am _getting somewhere with her. I have to tell you man, woman has a _fine _ass. Fine, indeed," he said, smiling fondly and leaning back in the chair.

"Well, as glad as I am that you found your one true other ass, we need to start answering some questions. This next caller is Aki. So what's up, Aki?"

"Hi… Well, I'm a married man of five years, and we're about to have our first baby, and my wife won't stop smoking. She absolutely refuses to do it, or even try. She drinks as well, but she says she'll try to quit that. But she won't give up cigarettes if it's the last thing she does. I don't know what to do," the man said brokenly. "I've even threatened divorce, and she won't quit."

Inuyasha and Miroku were silent for a moment.

"What a (beep)in' (beep)," Inuyasha said viciously. The man laughed nervously. "No, I'm serious. She's only sacrificing nine months out of her whole life. Why can't she give it up for her child? That's absolutely ridiculous," Inuyasha said.

"That's what I said, but she said that her mother smoked while _she _was pregnant, and she came out fine," Aki said.

"Well, I think she came out with something missing if she's willing to risk it on her child," Inuyasha said. Miroku was nodding.

"A baby is innocent. It shouldn't have to withstand that, born or unborn," Miroku said.

"I know… But I just don't know what to do. I threatened to leave her, and she threatened to kill our baby. Abortion and whatnot."

"Another topic for another day," Inuyasha mumbled. "Tell your wife to take the stick out of her ass, and get her head in gear. If she's willing to risk the baby coming out prematurely or stunted, or even mentally challenged, then she has a bigger problem on her hands. It's called her sanity." The man laughed wryly.

"I suggest that you just go through it. Try to hide all the cigarettes in the house, and if she's smoking all the time, buying them, then just continue to hide them or something. Throw them away. Whatever, just minimize her smoking to help the baby out more," Miroku advised. "And since she's been threatening you with abortion, just… Well, just stick with it. Call us periodically to let us know what's happening, okay?"

"Okay…" Aki said brokenly, obviously depressed about his limited options. After they hung up, Inuyasha pushed the blinking red button.

"Hi, my name is Sakura, and I smoked when I was pregnant, twice, _and _I drank, and my babies turned out fine," she said. Inuyasha growled.

"The point is, woman, _why _are you taking the risk in the first place? You're so selfish you can't even sacrifice little rolled up pieces of drugs for your damn babies," Inuyasha snarled.

"Look. I'm tired of people like you just… _judging _me all the time! It's my business, and I should be able to do whatever I want!" she said heatedly.

"It stopped being your business when you started mistreating your own babies," Inuyasha grit out.

"I don't mistreat them! They're happy, healthy babies! I give them whatever they want, and it's just… you don't understand," she said tiredly.

"I don't understand that your life is harder than other people's lives?" Inuyasha asked. The woman sputtered for a moment.

"No! That's not what I meant, but—"

"I know one woman that was a stripper for a while, and then a prostitute. She smoked of course, drank, and then she found out she had cancer. She didn't have a home. I let her bunk in my place for however long she needed it, _with no pay_. If I didn't let her stay at my place, she would have been sleeping on the streets with nothing but newspapers to cover her slutty clothes. She was raped before she became a stripper. Then one day, another man forced her to have sex with him with no condom, and she became pregnant. She quit smoking, quit her job, quit drinking, quit partying, and got her head screwed on straight, got a job at a fast food restaurant to help pay for herself and her child. Tell me. How is your life worse?" Inuyasha asked. The woman was speechless. Then there was a dial tone as she softly hung up.

"And that's what I thought," Inuyasha said softly.

Miroku was flabbergasted for a moment. Silence reigned for nearly a whole minute before Miroku quickly said, "Um… time for a music break." He flicked a switch, and listened as he heard music pouring through his headphones. Then he took them off, turning and intense look at Inuyasha.

"Who did you know like that? I didn't know you had a woman shacked up at your house," Miroku said seriously.

"Well, it was kinda when you were two or so. She's dead right now, 'cause of her cancer, but her daughter's living with foster parents, and I think she's going to college now. I still see her sometimes," Inuyasha said.

"What was her name?" Sango asked, coming into the room.

"Ayame," Inuyasha said.

* * *

**wk: **Hii!! Okay... Sorry it took so long! I've been trying to get my updates up faster, but... To no avail! (Cries) Oh well. Okay. So, Inuyasha knows Ayame, huh? Could it be the one that falls in love with Kouga? Hm... Oh, and yeah... I'm not going to write about individual dates anymore. The next update should be like... "One Week Later" or something like that, because I've never dated myself, so I really don't know what you do on dates anyway. Too much lack of experience to write about it. Anyway... You'll have to find out which Ayame it is later! As for now, it's time for the... what was that? Yes, you guessed it! It's... 

**_ReViEw oF rEvIeWs_**:

Okay! First, thanks to **silentslayer** for being the first comment on chapter four! Whoo! Okay, and also, thanks for the compliments! Compliments make the world go 'round.

Haha, I'm not sure I wanted Kagome to get on anyone's nerves, **Bella-chan**... But I must admit, after reading my own chapter, I thought she was a little retarded for refusing him. And refusing to let him use her shower nonetheless. (Sighs) Poor Kagome. There is much I need to teach her! And I noticed that the meaner people are on radios, the more people call in to see (essentially) what he/she will say about his/her predicament. Hm. Go figure. Maybe we're all just masochists at nature. Yeah, but the point of Inuyasha as a radio host is to be as controversial as possible and to piss off people as much as possible. It's a rule of Inuyasha's, I think. And congratulations...? Did I find the cure for cancer (Finally)? Or am I being stupid? Probably the latter. Oh well.

(Sighs) Like I said to Bella-chan, I think I made her a little retarded for refusing him, **drake220**. Haha, I love SmutMonster! I'm glad he's here. He'll help me out in making things a little _fun_. Kittens, puppies, whatever Inuyasha has it'll be _big_ and _ugly_ if people start telling him how he feels. Which is exactly what I'm planning. (Grins)

Well gee whiz, **Xx tickle me ElmoXx, **thanks! Hope you didn't have to wait too long for this one. (Winces) Gosh. I need to hurry up on my updates. Looks like you people value speed as much as you do quality. Meh heh.

HAHA, I loved your review, **sapphire pink**! It's almost written like a poem, and at the very end, you put, "good chappie btw." I must say, your dramaticism cheered me up quite a bit. Thanks!

Thanks so much, **Quiet Escapist**! Yeah, like I've said before, I tried to think of something original. =) I hope it was original enough. I'll _try _to keep up the good work. It might turn bad at some points though. Bear with me please!

Hehe... I hope your patience hasn't run out of its limits, **Jennifer**. Otherwise I'm pretty much dead meat, huh? Haha... Sorry you had to wait so long! I'll try to get the next one out faster!

Hi **Melissa**! Well... Writing is certainly not easy. I thought it was too, but sheesh. So much thought and work to put into it. Hehe, thanks for noticing the effort we all put into our stories! I'm sure with the right amount of effort, yours will flourish too! Haha, and I try not to put down abbreviations. Unless it's like, Dr. or Mr. or Mrs., of course. And grammar is a must if you want to major in English. (Sighs) So hard! Sorry I couldn't update faster, although your updated spurred me a considerable deal. Sorry you had to wait so long! And of course I reply to my readers. You guys are what make my story good, since I have someone to write to. Thanks for sticking with my story, and I hope you continue to in the future! And... haha... I'm _trying _to keep up with my other 3 stories. Thanks for the vote of confidence though! Your support really touches me. And you can take my DNA all you want, as long as I can keep enough to eat, think, and write. =)

Well, **Hiei's Ningen Mate**, I don't really know when they're gonna enter the story. I know they _will _be in the story, just... I don't know when. I just do whatever my fingers tell me to do. You have to understand, most of my stories are just... spur of the moment, if you know what I mean. I never know what I'm going to write for my next chapter until I get to it. Keep reminding me though, and eventually, Sesshoumaru, a grown up Rin (Grins), and an annoying Jaken will enter the story. Don't worry. I have plans for them. And could you remind me what Kagome says about little kids earlier in the chapter? I looked, but I couldn't find it... It's horrible that I don't know what's in my own chapters... (Sighs) Thanks!

Haha, Sango and Miroku are in the story, and I'll get to their personal lives soon enough, **Daddy's Pixie**. Sorry, when I focus on one thing, it's like... I have to make the chapter all about that one thing, and then I forget all the other things that are supposed to be included in it. Don't worry though! Story will have all the elements! ...Hopefully. Glad you're not grounded anymore, and thanks for taking the time to review!

Thanks so much **Wheezambu**! Your very professional-sounding opinion delights me! Hehe... _I _wouldn't have been able to resist Inuyasha, but you know. That's just me. Anyways, thanks for the dialogue compliment! I try my best. =D

Haha, I drooled while I was writing that, **anime-babe21**! It was hard to not make them just go at it in the sack, but I thought this story should have more than sexual material... I hope I've succeeded so far! And yes, I _did _mean for them to fall for each other. (Grins) Sometimes literally. Poor Kagome.

The title is supposed to be the radio station for the story. There's supposed to be a period before 5 and after 2, so that it's 102.5 FM, but it wouldn't work on Thanks for all your compliments, **Lola-Gurl**! I'm so glad I've got you hooked. Now for the rest of the human population...

Yes, sexual frustration can be an icky thing. But that's what'll make their coupling special too. Options, options... Haha, thanks **Krystal-Drumm**! I'm not sure I'm going to stick with it, but I sure as hell will do my best right now! My stories love you right back! =D

Thanks so much, **exyvixen**! Hehe... Yeah, well, I think my readers are more divine and special than anything else I could come up with! was down for a short while, I remember... Grr... It made me so mad. Haha... Inuyasha's an asshole when he answers phones, but that's what he's supposed to do. God bless him. Hehe, thanks for putting me on your favorites list, **Silent Aquila**! Is it Aquila or Aguila?

Well, **beth1685**, thanks for your constructive criticism! I do admit, it _is _a bit cheesy, but I had no idea how else they could meet. Where else could a busy socialite and a moody hanyou DJ meet? Oh well. Maybe I'll change it later. Thanks for the compliments! I tried to keep them essentially the same, only with different quirks. And yes, Inuyasha is now a chauvinistic pig. Well, not that he wasn't before, but you know. Haha... and your review basically inspired the beginning of this chapter. Thanks!! And yes, Kagome has a temper, but remember... Inuyasha has connections, and she knows it. She could lose her job (or so she thinks) if he so much as picks up the phone. Keep up your updates, and again, thanks for the constructive criticism! I greatly appreciated it!

Hehe, I thought I was going _too _slow, **Esther Tan**! And yes... Our poor little inu hanyou is confused as hell. I know dogs are really possessive, and that's exactly how our little puppy is. =D The lovey dovey stuff won't come until later. Yummy... (Grins)

Haha, your review was brief, **binab86**, but the point came across. "Hurry. Read. Must. Go." Sorry I took so long... Life has been hectic. Okay, thanks again, and stick with it!

Hehe, thanks **Lucky-Lilly**! Good work for reviewing! =)

Haha, are you sure you're not _worshipping_? Sorry I took so long, **redrizen2hell**. My fic loves you right back! Keep reading, and stick with it please!

I love all of you guys, and thanks for reviewing! Wait for the next one... =D


	6. The Meeting

Disclaimer: Nooottt mineee...

**wk: **All right! Finally got this stinkin' chapter out. I was actually trying to figure out how to write this chapter. It seems a little dull, with not enough stuff, but the ending should be good. The ending of the chapter, not the story. Also, this chapter is pretty long. I actually didn't mean to make it so long, but it came out that way. Originally, I was just trying to make it less than four pages, but... You guys got this.

Oh, and here's some big news: I have over **90 reviews **for this story now! I don't know how the heck _that _happened, but it did! Happy! Thanks so much guys!

And yeah... I'm only going to have Inuyasha talk on the radio increasingly less. I mean, he's still going to talk and all, but I'm just going to write less about it. It's hard to come up with something everyday. It took me a while to come up with a title for this chapter but...

**Chapter Six  
The Meeting**

Inuyasha was somber on the drive home, leaning against the side of the door with his hand comfortably on the wheel. He was on his way home, after having had many debates about smoking, alcohol, other various drugs, medication, and other various types of harm to the baby while a woman is pregnant _or_, around the born child. Tomorrow, it was promised that they would talk about abortion.

It had also made him think of Ayame, the sweet little girl that he hadn't seen in years. He always called her on her birthdays, since he was like her uncle to her. Of course, now she wouldn't be a sweet little girl. He would call her when he got home.

When he arrived at his apartment, he threw his messenger bag on the dining room chair, and moved straight towards his phone. He dialed in the foster family's number, and waited while it rang.

"Hello?" A man answered in English. This would be her father, but he sounded different. Was he sick?

"Hi. This is Inuyasha. I just wanted to speak to Ayame," Inuyasha said in Japanese, sitting on his sofa heavily. The man answered in a way that completely befuddled him. And angered him.

"Who the fuck is Inuyasha?" the man snapped in Japanese as well. In the background, Inuyasha heard a woman say, "Uncle Inu!" The man that had answered the phone instantly apologized. Inuyasha was still too confused to cuss him out, so he waited while he handed the phone over to Ayame.

"Uncle Inu!" Ayame breathed excitedly.

"Hey," Inuyasha said fondly. Then his voice turned hard. "Who the fuck was that?"

"That… was… uh…" Ayame stumbled. Then she took a deep breath and said something to stop Inuyasha's heart cold. "That was my boyfriend, Uncle Inu."

Inuyasha was flabbergasted.

He was shocked.

He was mad.

"_What?_" he yelled into the phone. Ayame winced on the other side.

"Uncle Inu! Don't yell at me! I _am _in college now. Did you expect me not to see anyone and remain a virgin all this time?" Ayame asked heatedly.

"Oh my God… You _gave away your virginity?_" Inuyasha moaned.

"No! No! We just started going out a month ago," Ayame quickly amended. Inuyasha sighed in relief.

"Well… I don't want you to see this guy," Inuyasha said harshly. Ayame frowned.

"And why not?"

"Because… Because what kind of boy answers his girlfriend's phone and asks who the fuck it is? Were… Were you just _about _to have sex?" Inuyasha asked, his voice a horrified whisper.

"No! He thought I was _cheating _on him or something," Ayame said, turning her gaze to her squirming beau.

"See? What kind of boyfriend does that?" Inuyasha asked. Ayame sighed into the phone.

"It's okay Uncle Inu. I'm a big girl now. I'm going to graduate college this year Uncle Inu! My eighth year is almost over!" Ayame said excitedly. "You're going to come to my graduation day, aren't you, Uncle Inu?" She was graduating college after 8 years at the age of twenty-six.

"Of course. Like I would miss that," Inuyasha said pompously. _And to meet your damn boyfriend, _he thought viciously.

"Okay. Good. 'Cause my graduation is next week." Inuyasha choked.

"Next week?" Inuyasha grimaced. What the hell was he going to tell Kagome, and how was he going to get off of work?

"You're not coming?" Ayame asked, stricken.

"Of course I am! I just have to smooth out a few wrinkles in my plans," Inuyasha said. Then, he had a better idea. "You know what? Instead of _me _going _there_, why don't _you _come _here_?" Ayame squealed.

"Uncle Inu! I would _love _to come and see you!" she exclaimed. Inuyasha sat back in his seat, smug. He would have to cut some of his plans short with Kagome, but he would get to work and spend time with his "niece."

"You better not bring that boyfriend of yours though. Just having his stench on you will be enough," Inuyasha growled. Ayame laughed.

"He smells _fine_, Uncle Inu," she said. "I'm a full wolf, remember?" Inuyasha's ears twitched.

"Doesn't mean you can smell yourself," Inuyasha said pointedly, and Ayame rolled her eyes. "Anyway," Inuyasha continued, "I'll send you your ticket by next week. If you don't receive it… I'll have to go myself and smuggle you in by suitcase." Ayame giggled.

"Uncle Inu, I think they can tell… Through the x-ray machines and all… You remember those?" Inuyasha rolled his eyes.

"Like those would stop you and me. We're unstoppable together," Inuyasha said wickedly, making Ayame laugh.

"Well, if I don't get the tickets… I'll smuggle myself in. Deal?" she said.

"Deal," he said with a smile.

"So what's this I hear about _you _having a girlfriend?" Ayame asked casually. Inuyasha blanched.

"You're not supposed to listen to my show around other people!" Inuyasha hissed. "They can put two and two together, Ayame!" Then, a horrible thought occurred to him. "Does your boyfriend know?"

"No… Uncle Inu, you put your trust in me, and I won't betray it. Even Mom and Dad don't know. Tsuki definitely doesn't know. He's kind of clueless at times, you see," she explained in a grave voice. Inuyasha chuckled.

"Wasn't Tsuki sitting next to you?" Inuyasha asked quickly.

"No. He's off sulking in the kitchen about how mean you are," Ayame mumbled. Inuyasha grinned.

"Damn straight. Can't mess with my one and only," Inuyasha said, and Ayame laughed.

"I miss you Uncle Inu. Can't wait to see you next week!" she said. Inuyasha smiled.

"I can't wait either. I'll wait right here for you, okay?"

"Well, I was kind of hoping you would be waiting at the airport, but…" Inuyasha laughed.

"Sure I will. I was just speaking figuratively. See you then," Inuyasha said and hung up.

* * *

Inuyasha picked up Kagome from work the next day. Instead of going to her house, he turned a different way. Kagome's eyebrow kicked up. 

"Where are we going?" she asked. Inuyasha glanced at her and smirked.

"My place," he said. Kagome's eyes widened, then narrowed.

"We're not doing anything… _naughty_, I hope you know that," Kagome hissed.

Inuyasha pouted. "Well there goes my plans. Ow!" he exclaimed as Kagome threw a pen at his head. "I'm driving here, woman!" he snarled. Kagome had another pen in hand with her eyes still narrowed.

"You are a chauvinistic pig," Kagome said, lowering her second pen.

"A sexy chauvinistic pig, I bet—" Inuyasha exclaimed another "Ow!" as Kagome threw her second pen at his head. "I bet you wouldn't be throwing pens at me if we were on the motorcycle," Inuyasha muttered. Kagome rolled her eyes.

"Doesn't mean I can't pinch you," Kagome pointed out.

"So does that mean you're suicidal? Because if you do that, then I'll probably swerve off the road," Inuyasha said. Kagome was silent, brooding, and Inuyasha smirked.

"Anyway, what are we going to do at your house?" Kagome asked.

"My apartment," Inuyasha corrected. Kagome rolled her eyes again.

"Your _apartment_," Kagome said.

"Well…" he was silent for a moment, building the tension and anticipation. "I'm making dinner." Kagome was silent, then burst out laughing, her hand covering her mouth.

"What the hell's so funny, bitch?" Inuyasha snarled. The cooking thing was also Miroku's idea.

"You're… kidding, right?" Kagome asked, tears in her eyes from laughing so much.

"No." Kagome blinked, her laughter gone.

"Oh. So you're actually going to cook me food?" she asked. Inuyasha shrugged.

"More or less," he said. He turned on the music to drown out her talking, as she asked questions about what he was going to cook. She scowled at him, recognizing his attempts to try to not listen to her.

When they arrived at his apartment, they were arguing about how most men were immature asses.

"You know, the only place to find Mr. Perfect is to imagine him. He doesn't exist otherwise," Kagome said.

"That's not true. Mr. Perfect just doesn't like _you_," Inuyasha scoffed. Kagome twirled, placing her hands on her hips and giving him a cheeky grin.

"Why wouldn't he like _this_," she joked, flipping her hair over her shoulder in such a materialistic manner that didn't fit her, that he couldn't help but snort.

"Many reasons, I would suppose," Inuyasha said.

"Hey, if I'm so unsatisfactory, why are you going out with me?" Kagome pointed out.

"Well, no one said _I _was Mr. Perfect."

"Amen to that."

Inuyasha went into the kitchen to cook, and Kagome poked her head into various places in the two-bedroom apartment.

"Do you have a roommate?" she yelled from his bedroom.

"No, but I do have someone stay over a lot," she heard him say.

Kagome dug around in his room, changing into a pair of his sweatpants and a sweatshirt, which were several sizes too big for her small frame. Feeling more comfortable, she looked into the extra room. She blanched. He might as well have a roommate here, since all his clothes seemed to be here. Clothes were strewn about everywhere, the bed was unmade, and there were posters of half-naked girls all over the room.

"That's Miroku's room. I'm afraid the boy has an obsession with the female side of the species." Inuyasha said from behind her, spooking her. He looked down at her, scrutinizing her appearance. "You know, babe, that looks a lot like my clothes," Inuyasha said. Kagome looked down at herself.

"You know, they _do _look like your clothes. Huh. Fancy that," she said innocently, about to push past him, but he grabbed her, hauling her against him, his hands slipping underneath his sweatshirt to flatten themselves against her bare back. He felt the shiver run through her, felt his own lids getting heavy.

Kagome clutched his shirt in her fists in an effort not to fall at his feet in a heap of jelly. When his mouth moved near hers, she closed her eyes, not fighting the inevitable kiss. Instead, however, his mouth went to her jaw line, caressing it softly with his lips. She gave a soft sigh, and her head became heavy, and she tilted it to the side, giving Inuyasha more access to her skin.

His hands traveled up her back, his fingers playing with her bra strap. She didn't even notice, since she was too focused on the sensation of his tongue making tiny circles along the column of her neck. Her head swung forward so she could move to his neck in reciprocation. Shyly, she buried her nose into his shoulder, and took a deep breath. Then she paused. She pushed him back, much to his surprise.

"What the—"

"You cooked _ramen_?" Kagome asked in incredulity, their hot, passionate moment still burning her. Still, anger burned just as much.

"Yeah… So?" Inuyasha asked, pissed that he couldn't taste more of her. When he had found her gaping at Miroku's room, the first thing that he noticed was her scent. It was strongly laced with his scent, and that had been like an aphrodisiac by itself. He had promised himself not to touch her when he had steeled himself to bring her to his place. Oops. That just went down the toilet.

"I thought you were cooking me _food_," Kagome said. Inuyasha gaped at her.

"Ramen _is _food! It's the best damn shit there is!" Inuyasha said. Kagome shook her head, her eyes taking a "I-don't-believe-this" expression.

"You brought me here," she said slowly, "to seduce me and make ramen while you're at it? Gee, thanks."

"You don't understand," Inuyasha said solemnly. "If I made you _real _food, as in with grocery-bought items, you'd be _dead_. From _food poisoning_. I doubt you'd like me after then." Kagome stared at him for a short while, then burst into laughter.

"So cooking me ramen is actually _saving _me?" Kagome asked. Inuyasha scowled at her.

"Unless you want to eat fried rabbit or something else I can hunt up. Raccoons are good, too, but a little stringy," Inuyasha said. Kagome shut up, her laughter dying as suddenly as her brain did.

"You eat _bunnies_?" she asked, horrified. He rolled his eyes.

"They're herbivores. I'm a carnivore. Do the math," Inuyasha said. Kagome went pale, and Inuyasha worried for a second that she would faint from no blood to the brain.

Okay. Ramen is fine with me," Kagome said weakly. Inuyasha nodded.

"I knew you would like that a lot better than my yummy bunny," Inuyasha teased, making her shriek.

Kagome sighed, then narrowed her eyes at him. "I knew it was a lot sooner than I expected when you came to get me for the food."

Dinner was unexpectedly fun, considering they were eating ramen noodles out of a cup since he had no bowls.

"Why don't you have bowls?" she asked, sipping on the soup. Inuyasha shrugged.

"Because it's not my turn to do the dishes. My 'roommate' is supposed to, but he hasn't been by in a while," Inuyasha said. _And he better not. Better safe than sorry_, Inuyasha thought, slurping up his ramen in record time.

Since Miroku didn't have an alias on the radio show, it was much too easy for Kagome to link him to the show, then if she heard about herself at one o' clock everyday…

This was getting a little dangerous, he thought to himself, watching her eat daintily. There were plenty of ways she could find out, but there was one surefire way that he knew she _wouldn't _find out. There was something he figured about her. She rarely listened to the radio (Thank God). She CDs that she burned and listened to in the car, and she had her music on her computer.

So she couldn't find out through the radio, but she could find out from a numerous amount of other reasons. A slip of the tongue mistake, or meeting Miroku and Sango, or one of her friends would turn on the radio, or…

She noticed him staring at her with a strange expression on his face. She swallowed the last of her food, and stared at him back, hoping to weird him out as much as he was doing to her. Finally, when she was starting to get goosebumps, she snapped her fingers in front of his face. Like he had just come out of hypnotherapy, he blinked and scowled at her.

"What the hell are you staring at?" he asked. Kagome gaped at the injustice.

"What am _I _staring at? You were the one staring at me as if I was walking on my hands and eating with my feet!" Kagome yelled at him. He blinked.

"Keh." He looked away, then turned back when he remembered something. "My niece is coming next week, so I'm going to have limited time in hanging out," Inuyasha said. Kagome raised a brow.

"You're bringing your niece to live here? With you?" Kagome asked. Inuyasha shrugged.

"She's not really my niece. And she's not living here. I knew her mother really well, and her mother passed away really early. I started to take care of her for a while, at least until a foster family could take over," Inuyasha said. Kagome nodded her understanding, smiling at the new side of him that hadn't been exposed before. Taking care of babies was just unexpected of him.

"Well, I'll come over to meet your niece. I'm sure it'll be fun. How old is she now?" Kagome asked. Inuyasha shrugged.

"Twenty-six," Inuyasha said. Kagome gaped.

"I'm only two years older than that!" She narrowed her gaze at Inuyasha. "How old are you?"

"Technically? A couple hundred. I don't know how much, I just lost track," he said. "But figuratively, I'm thirty-one," Inuyasha said. Kagome hummed while she thought. Then she blanched again.

"Wait, doesn't that mean you started taking care of Ayame when _you _were five years old?" Kagome asked. Inuyasha shook his head.

"A demon's development in their childhood until the age of twenty-five or around there is as fast, if not faster, as a human's." Inuyasha explained.

"She's a half-demon? Like you?" Kagome asked. Inuyasha shook his head.

"Her mother was a prostitute, but both Ayame's mother and father were wolf-demons," Inuyasha explained. "He raped her, but it turned out that he was a wolf-demon too." Inuyasha sighed. "Go figure."

"That's horrible!" Kagome exclaimed, and Inuyasha didn't say anything, staring at the carpet.

"Well, this topic is a little too morbid for right now," Inuyasha stated, driving himself to his feet to clear the table. Kagome helped him, silently collecting the chopsticks and the forks.

Afterwards, they watched TV, the tension slowly dissipating. Inuyasha waited until there was no trace of her stiffness then trailed a claw lightly down her back as they watched TV together. Kagome was instantly on guard, glaring at him as she pushed herself off of him.

"None of that again, mister," she warned. Inuyasha rolled his eyes.

"You didn't seem to have a problem with it before," Inuyasha pointed out. Kagome clenched her teeth.

"I was _insane _and _out of my mind _before," Kagome said.

"Yeah. Insane and out of your mind with _lust _for _me,_" Inuyasha said smugly, and Kagome gaped at him.

"In your dreams buster!" All of a sudden, she was in his lap, blinking at his close proximity.

"Yeah… you _do _seem to be in my dreams a lot," Inuyasha said in a husky voice, his arousal mounting as he watched her tongue dart out in a nervous gesture.

"Inuyasha… We've been through this before," Kagome said, unable to stop herself from leaning slightly against him.

"Hm…" Inuyasha leaned forward to trace her jaw line with his tongue. "Wanna go through it again?" he murmured against her earlobe, drawing it into his mouth. Kagome made an audible little gasp, turning him on even more.

There was a sudden frenzy to feel skin on skin, hands on flesh. Inuyasha ended up shirtless and on top of a topless Kagome. She was breathing hard, feeling his chest with curious hands.

"Kagome…" Inuyasha groaned, his mouth going to her neck to suckle. His hands went to her bra-covered breasts, shaping them with his hands. Kagome moaned into his hair, gripping it and arching her body in offering up to him. His hand continued their way down, going across her belly to the sweat pants. Trying to get them off while her hips were on the couch, he put his mouth to her ear.

"Lift your hips, sweetheart," Inuyasha gasped. Kagome blinked as his request sank in. If she lifted her hips, he would… Kagome just lay there, her body going limp in his arms. He pulled back, looking at her face, then shook his head and got up.

"I'll take you home," Inuyasha said with barely suppressed violence. Kagome hurriedly picked up the sweatshirt he had thrown across the room and drew it over her head.

"I'm sorry—"

"Don't. I know you're not ready. I just took advantage of you is all," Inuyasha said, pulling his own shirt over his head.

"I'm just… scared," Kagome mumbled, and Inuyasha paused, his head popping out of his T-shirt.

"What?" Kagome shook her head.

"Nothing."

"No, tell me."

"I said I was scared. I've never been in a relationship for anything. I've never dated. Ever. And having a sexual relationship in additional to an emotional relationship… All as a result of some… some blackmail from you…" Kagome drifted off, standing and staring down at the carpet. Inuyasha walked to her, so close that their toes were brushing. Kagome tried to take a step back, startled, but he growled and held her close.

"Forget about the bargain," Inuyasha said. "You see me if you want to see me, and I'll see you if I want to see you." Kagome blinked.

"Forget about the bargain? Does that mean we're still going out?" Kagome asked. For a fearful moment, she thought he would say that it was over, that this relationship was just for kicks.

"Of course. I just said we were, stupid," Inuyasha said scathingly. Before she could respond with a clever comeback, he gave her a bruising kiss. Then, swatting her bottom as she shrieked, he pushed her towards his bedroom to retrieve her clothes.

When she came out with the armful of cloth, he ushered her into her shoes and out the door. As he drove to her house, Kagome pinched him in the side, making him jump.

"What the hell? Are you trying to get us killed?" he yelled as he righted the car. Kagome laughed.

"That was for hitting my butt," Kagome said smugly. Inuyasha's eyes narrowed, and his hands tightened on the wheel. Kagome looked at his fingers a bit nervously. _Did that make him mad? I didn't mean to!_ When they came to a stoplight, his hand at the back of her head suddenly dragged her across the seat, and his mouth crushed hers. He took ravenously from her, desperately. He pulled away when the car behind him was honking. He looked up at the green light, saw that it was green, and stepped on the gas, not looking at her again.

Off balance and confused, Kagome only sat back in her seat, touching her swollen lips with a hesitant hand.

He dropped her off at her house, mumbled a "Bye," and drove off, tires squealing. Kagome frowned and went into her house. As soon as she got in, her cell phone began ringing. She went to her kitchen counter where she left it and picked up.

"Hello?"

"Hi," Inuyasha's deep voice came through. Kagome smiled.

"You just dropped me off," Kagome said, sitting on one of her sofas and contemplating the ceiling.

"I know. I had to get away from you as fast as possible. I'm afraid my intentions aren't that good right now," he muttered. Kagome laughed, and smiled.

"Okay. I understand," Kagome said.

"Yeah… I just wanted to explain myself. Didn't want you to think I was a rude jerk or anything like that," Inuyasha said with a hint of sarcasm.

"Oops, too late," she teased.

"Bitch." She laughed again.

* * *

The next day, Kagome was chewing on her pen cap. Doing nothing else, but chewing on her pen cap. She couldn't help but remember... 

"Kagome, I see you have nothing to do," Myouga said on her neck. She slapped a hand to her neck instinctively, flattening her boss. However, she watched him float to the surface of her desk unconcernedly. The little flea demon puffed himself out, and scowled up at her.

"Yes, Myouga?" Kagome asked, going back to chewing on her pen.

"How are things going with you and Inuyasha?" Myouga asked, trying to fake nonchalance. Kagome, of course, knew what was going through the tiny little head.

"Oh, things are just going _wonderful_. The sex is great—" Myouga coughed, but Kagome continued, "--and he can be a little rude sometimes, but I'm telling you, whoever said size doesn't matter—"

"Kagome!" Myouga screeched, his voice unusually high. He was as red as the blood he sucked.

"What? I'm only telling you the truth," Kagome said innocently. "And that's also why I decided to become his mistress."

Myouga stared up at her, flabbergasted. Then, his face turned purple with unbridled anger.

"The hell you will!" he yelled, and Kagome looked at her mangled pen, frowning.

"I thought this was what you wanted," Kagome said.

Myouga turned even darker, if that was possible. His emotions were roiling, warring with the fact that Inuyasha was like his grandson, and Kagome was like his granddaughter. Still, he would be damned if he let Kagome…

"The day you go to be his… his… _mistress_," he spat out the word, "I will personally hire someone to take you over his knee and spank you!"

"Can it be Inuyasha?" she asked, quirking an eyebrow at him, the corner of her mouth twitching. Myouga made a strangled sound, and Kagome couldn't help it. She burst into laughter.

"Kagome, this isn't funny! I'm serious!" Myouga growled.

"Myouga, you know I wasn't serious too, right?" Kagome said, poking the little flea in the belly. Myouga twitched with irritation. "That was your lesson to stay out of our business."

"Trust me, I will from now on. I think I about had a heart attack," Myouga said.

"Right. Do you have something for me to do?" Kagome asked. After taking a deep breath, Myouga nodded.

"I have a huge meeting today, but I can't go. I have other pressing matters to take care of for the company, and I know _you'll _be able to go in my place…" Kagome's eyes widened.

"What happened to the VP?" Kagome asked. Myouga rubbed the back of his head with one of his four hands.

"Well, I don't think she's quite able to take on something like this. In fact, I kinda… made her go on leave today. That's why I'm coming to you today," Myouga said. Kagome blinked.

"You fired her?" Kagome asked. Myouga shook his head.

"She's pregnant. She's almost in her second trimester, and I told her to take off how much time she wanted. Paid, of course." Myouga nodded.

"You're just gonna let her go on a vacation for one, maybe two years?" Kagome asked, incredulous. Myouga nodded.

"Of course. I would do the same for you, so don't complain."

"I'm not complaining at all. On the contrary. I'm just thinking if I want Inuyasha to knock me up or not—" Myouga was shaking his head vigorously, turning red again.

"Don't make me call your mother and grandfather," Myouga threatened. Kagome gaped.

"You'd _squeal _on me?" Kagome asked. Myouga nodded.

"Darn right I would, Kagome. And Inuyasha would have to answer to _me_."

"Like he would care about that," Kagome muttered.

"What?"

"Er… I said, 'He wouldn't _dare _do anything after that'," Kagome said nervously. Myouga looked at her strangely as she kept laughing.

"Are you feeling okay, Kagome?" Myouga asked, concerned.

"Peachy good," Kagome said quickly.

"Well, it's not like he'd do anything if he heard about anything that happened here…" Myouga said, snickering.

"For the last time, I _accidentally _punched him in the eye!" Kagome hotly exclaimed in her defense. Myouga raised a brow.

"His doctor said that he could have gone blind if you hit just a little harder," Myouga stated simply.

"It's not like he didn't deserve it," Kagome mumbled.

"Pardon?"

"I said, 'It's a good thing he didn't lose it,'" Kagome said loudly. Myouga nodded.

"Yes, good indeed. Anyway, I would like it if you go in place of me and the VP. You would, of course, get an increase in your salary, and—"

"Why would I get an increase in my salary if I'm just stepping in for you? I've done it plenty of times before," Kagome asked, twirling her pen around.

"Because you're my vice president while Kiyo is on leave," Myouga said formally. Kagome dropped her pen.

"I'm your what?" she asked, a smile growing on her face. Myouga smiled too, reassuringly

"My vice president. Only while Kiyo is on leave!" Myouga warned. Kagome beamed.

"Great! That means I have two years, more or less, to prove my stuff! I'll get my things for the meeting. Brief me on it. What time do I have to be there by?" Kagome asked.

"Four." Kagome looked at the clock and shrieked. It was two o' clock.

"Myouga! You butt! Look at the clock!" Myouga shook his head.

"I don't have anything to brief you on. He wants to meet to offer something. He said I would like his offer, and that I wouldn't be able to refuse." Myouga shrugged again. Kagome sighed. She rummaged in her desk drawer for her keys and stood. "Where are you going?" Myouga asked curiously.

"To get ready. I sure as heck can't go like this," Kagome said, indicating the simple and sleek business suit she had on. They were slim black pants with a white blouse with a black jacket. Myouga scowled.

"Women. I'll never understand them. You look fine, Kagome," Myouga said. Kagome shook her head.

"This looks decent enough, but for a huge meeting like you're describing, I have to look… _pizzazz_," Kagome said. Myouga sighed.

"Whatever. Just be here on time." Kagome winked.

"Have I ever been late?"

"No, but there's always a first for everything!"

"Not today there won't be."

Kagome walked out, striding to the elevator. She felt the hair on the back of her neck rise before the familiar arm was draped over her shoulders.

"Kouga, you do realize one of these days you're going to go too far and I'm going to have to file a sexual harassment case against you?"

"Aw, babe, you know you wouldn't do that to me," Kouga said with a smirk. Kagome stopped all of a sudden, making Kouga also come to a sudden halt. "What's wrong?"

"Kouga, _sweetheart_," Kagome said with the beginnings of a dangerous smile.

"What, baby?" Kouga said, oblivious to her narrowed eyes. It seemed he was interested only in her breasts.

"If you don't take your arms off of me in a second, I'm going to have to fire you," Kagome said, the corners of her lips going up in glee. Kouga stared at her.

"You're not the boss," Kouga blurted. Kagome sighed.

"Kouga, I'm not a fellow co-worker anymore. You can't be all touchy-feely with me anymore, okay? I'm VP now," she said, lifting his arm off her shoulders.

"Ouch. Rejection!" Someone from a nearby cubicle exclaimed.

"Shut up!" Kouga shouted, and went back to staring at Kagome, then without a word, he turned and went back to his own space. Kagome looked after him with some regret. Maybe she should have been less harsh?

She ran up behind him, and tapped him on the shoulder. Kouga turned his head partway, and Kagome took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry." Kouga nodded and continued on to his cubicle. Kagome frowned. He could have said something back, since she had just apologized.

She turned again, going towards the elevator. If he wanted to be a big butt hole, then so be it.

She went home, the guilt gnawing away inside her. _Darn it! _Kagome kept the white blouse on. She put on a pinstripe skirt, long enough not to be flashing anyone, and short enough to be a bit alluring. And it looked professional. She then put on the matching pinstripe jacket, and she looked at herself in the mirror. She took out her reading glasses from her bedside table, putting them on. Then, she put her hair up into a strategically messy bun, admiring herself in the mirror.

"Not bad… Not bad at all," Kagome murmured. "Now it's time for business."

Kagome applied some foundation, then lined her eyes with black eyeliner. She didn't put on any lipstick, but she settled for the lip gloss. She sashayed out of her house, her eyes gleaming with purpose. The phrase "dressed to kill" seemed like it was applied to her.

A little boy that lived in her neighborhood, one of her favorites, came up to her. He was new in the neighborhood. He was an orphaned child, his parents murdered when he was just a little baby. If she had known about him, she would have adopted him a lot sooner. Now, he was living with a foster family and seemingly happy with them. He had moved in with them only two or three weeks ago.

She leaned down and smiled at him.

"Hi Kagome!" he said, giving her a cheeky grin. "I was just wondering if I could come into your house and play some games, but… I see you're going out, so I'll go back home."

Kagome shook her head. "Shippo, you can go into my house even if I'm not there. Just don't steal anything, and you'll be okay," Kagome said, smiling at him. Shippo pouted, and looked at the ground, tracing a pattern on the cement of her driveway. Kagome stared at him, concerned.

"Shippo, what's wrong?" Kagome asked.

"My new foster family. They don't like me," Shippo said mournfully. Kagome looked stricken, and picked the youngster up. She brought him into her house, going to the kitchen to get some cookies and milk. She glanced at the clock and saw that it was three. So what if she was a little late?

"Why do you feel that way?" Kagome asked.

"They said they would send me back to the orphanage next week." Shippo valiantly tried to hold his tears in. "It's not working out with the other kid they have. He won't give in. He never wanted another sibling, nonetheless a demon brother, and having one that would outlive even them and their own child was too much, I guess." Kagome stared at him.

"Are you sure?" she asked softly. Shippo nodded, then quickly wiped his tears away, and stuffed a cookie into his mouth. "If they send you back," Kagome said, "I'll come and find you." Shippo looked up at her wondrously, a few crumbs falling onto the floor in his disbelief.

"Wha…?" Shippo gulped down the remnants of the cookie. "You'll what?"

"I said I'll come for you, and take you in," Kagome said calmly. She looked at the clock again. She groaned. It was three fifteen, and she needed to go. "Shippo, you can stay here as long as you're able, but I have to go to a meeting right now. So either come back tomorrow, or something, okay?" Kagome said. Shippo pouted, but nodded. Kagome practically ran out the door, nearly tripping in her heels as she ran to her car. She got in, and drove, possibly breaking a speeding law.

She ran into the building, carrying a briefcase, and cursed as she saw that it was three forty-five. She punched the button for the elevator, impatiently waiting. As soon as the door opened, she stepped in, and viciously pushed the door close button. However, when she saw people running to catch the car, she pushed the door open button. They all piled in, thanking her and out of breath. They all rode the elevator up, and Kagome became frustrated, as it seemed people needed to get off every other floor. When Kagome was about to get off, her jacket got snagged on a man's suitcase. Frustrated and telling one of them to hold the door open button, she carefully and meticulously made sure that the cloth wasn't torn.

As soon as she got her jacket unsnagged, she ran to the meeting room, taking a deep breath before going in.

A man and a woman were already sitting there, and she tucked her hair behind her ear, since the already messy bun was just now falling apart. She took her hair down, the curls going down her back. She smoothed her skirt and jacket, and sat down. She smiled at the man and woman, putting the briefcase on the table before sitting down. She looked at the clock. It said that she was one minute late. Satisfied with herself, she sat back in the chair.

"Hi. I'm Kagome, and I'm filling in for Mr. Myouga. He had another appointment today, so he sent me in his place."

She expected the man to speak, but was surprised when the woman spoke instead.

"I'm Kagura, and this is Naraku. We have a… proposal that you can't really refuse."

* * *

**wk: **Dun dun dun... Finally, I introduce Naraku and Kagura into this story. Hell, it's _only _the sixth chapter... Okay, so I'm a little late. Would you believe me if I said I forgot? 

Anyways, the part everyone's been waiting for (including me)...

**_ReViEw oF rEvIeWs_**:

Hehe... think carefully, **sapphire pink**... It'll come to you...

Thanks so much **Kombat-King**! I hope I won't give up on my writing, because that would mean I would have to give up on my stories, and I don't want to do that.

Sorry, **DRAKE220**! Somebody also mistook me for a male... Gr... As if I'd be that dumb. Now, pop-up porn I _don't _receive... Hehe, I didn't update sooner, but I hope the longer update will suffice...

Well, **binab86**, Sesshoumaru and Rin will almost definitely be in the story. I'm gonna have Rin as a grown-up though. And probably, when I introduce them, it'll be a surprise for you guys... Mwaha! I'm glad I've captivated you... Now stay captive or else!

Thanks so much **Black Katty**! Yeah, I agree... change is good, but... I'm just too lazy. I'll edit it one day, I'm sure. Until then, stick with me!

Hehe... Well, it's Inuyasha! What can I say? Yeah, I want a piece of that doggy goodness, too, **firebird5**. Mm mm good. That's Campbell good.

Definitely continuing it, **Aoi Senshi**! Thanks so much for the compliment!

Hehe, yeah... I think the human race as a whole are just... really... not ignorant, but really naive about things. Myself included of course. I _was _actually considering your plotline, and I might actually do it one day. I might _try _it later, but right now, I doubt I'll have the time to even try it. Thanks for the idea though, **Melissa**!

Haha, thanks, **Cathrina**! Hehe, you reminded me of so many radio stations... "83.6 ROCKS baby!" for example. Haha, thanks again!

Thanks so much, **Krystal-Drumm**! It sounds sappy but... I find it a great honor that I'm one of your favorites! It means I'm actually somewhat succeeding as an author! And squirming is always a good thing... Of course, I still have a way to go... (Sighs) Oh well. Thanks for sticking!

Thanks **Esther Tan**! I know right? Kagome gets all the luck. (Sigh) I want a dog boy all for myself!! I'm not sure about lemon because... I'm kinda... _shy_. (Blush) Hehe, I'm glad I have you so insane over my story. It's kinda how I feel about chocolate... Mm...

Here's the next time, **InuYasha's-1-and-only-lov**! Or... the this time... Eh, whatever. You know what I mean. Thanks for waiting! Until next time!

It's always amusing to see people deny their addiction for anything. Thanks for encouraging my long chapters! And yes, I do have _some _complicated ties in this lovely story... But thanks for reading it all the same, **Kiche**! And thanks so much for the compliments! Love makes the world go 'round...

Well,** Chez**, I _am _planning for Kagome to meet Sango and Miroku, but _how_... you'll have to wait and find out. Mwahaha... Evil. It's always good.

They'll hopefully get a lot further together, **silentslayer**... Although in this chapter they got _really _close. (Blush)

Thanks so much, **Addanc-TSC**! You're a great reader.

Hehe... I feel good that I got the anticipation level so high in you, **Wheezambu**... Tension is always good in a story... Unless _I'm _the one reading it. Then it's just taboo. And yes, I'm hoping to include him and Sango more in the story. I need to think of a plan...

Hehe... Well, **Sesshyz Koishii**, I'm glad you finally started liking my chapter. (Smiles) Yes, you really shouldn't smoke when you're pregnant. I almost slapped a lady that was driving, and was clearly pregnant, and she was smoking. I think I also saw beer bottles in her ratty back seat. Yuck.

(Cries) Thanks so much, **Xx tickle me ElmoXx**! I'm so glad I have your support, because sometimes I doubt my writing. I'm glad you love my story so much! (Cries some more)

Thanks, **Kimitoshi**!

I'm so glad I'm one of the three stories you love, **steve's-girl-13**! Hope you like this chapter, too!

Thanks, **Starrchick101**! I don't know where the idea came from... It just... well, it came. Thanks so much for loving my lonnggg boring chapters! And I'm glad my story is far from being bad (so far)... Again, thanks!

Wow, I really do feel honored, **Daddy's Pixie**. I'm so glad I'm one of the good stories you review. Otherwise, I'd feel like crap. (Sighs) It's a good thing you review! Sorry I took a little longer than expected... Time just isn't on my time these days.

Thanks so much, **chibi-koinu**! You don't sound like a suck-up... As long as you're being honest, you're never a suck-up. I hope _I'm _not one of those writers that are really bad but really interesting. Hehe, yeah... Inuyasha _has _to be blunt in my opinion. It's just how he gets along... or _doesn't _get along, in his case.

Haha, I updated, **sagitarius1987**!

Thanks so much, **Kiala**! Gosh, I've been thanking every other reviewer... Anyway, here's the newest update... Hope you didn't have to wait _too _much for it.

Well, **jojodacrow**, this was the newest chapter! Hooray! My story likes you back! (Smile) I hope the chemistry between them is sizzling hot by now. 'Cause it's meant to be. Mwaha...

Oh no! No internet! Nooo!! How do you _live_, **PeachesDani**? I hope you have it up again... I'm glad you could read it once more, too! Yay! You're back! Now stay here, okay?

I think it's a fic to continue as well, **MichiruAOZ**. Keep on keeping a check on this fic... Did that sentence just make sense??

Hehe, well, here's your update, **purely luck**! Haha, I wouldn't be able to eat the candy anyway... I just had some teeth pulled. Yummy yummy gumdrops. I updated for a review though, so I better get one! Haha, just kidding. Keep reading though. Please!

**wk: **Wow. Okay. That's the end of the... **_ReViEw oF rEvIeWs_**. That was... what... nearly 30 reviews? Wait... that was _exactly _30 reviews! My goodness! Thanks so much guys! I think this is the most I've had on one chapter! That's a whole third of all the reviews I have all together! (Swoons) Thanks sooo much guys! I'm so glad that this story is kicking off... Continue reading! I'll _try _to get my next update out faster. In the meanwhile... (smiles) Keep reading!


	7. One In a Billion

**Disclaimer: **This isn't mine, obviously. I didn't steal anything... Except for maybe that pencil in the third grade... Sorry Tommy!

**wk: **Okay. Chapter seven... I don't really know what to say about it. It's random? It's kind of a informational filler? It's... a chapter. There you go. It's a new chapter. Enjoy with candy and popcorn.Oh, and don't forget to read the bold stuff at the end of this chapter in my author's note. **READ THE BOLD AT THE END! **Did you read that? Good.

**Chapter Seven  
One in a Billion**

"You want to _what_?" Kagome asked, her mouth slack and hanging open. It didn't look very professional, but that was the farthest thing from her mind right now.

"We want to buy your company," Kagura explained, crossing her legs and sitting back, seemingly enjoying Kagome's growing uneasiness and shock.

"You want to… _buy _our company!" Kagome's voiced rose in pitch at the end of her question.

"Yes. For a very good amount of money, I might add," Kagura said, her mouth twitching with the beginnings of a malicious smile. "And if you disagree to our proposal, then we will merely have to take over your company the hard way."

Kagome blinked, and sat back, chewing on her lip. She glanced at Naraku, who seemed to be the boss, but she darted her glance away when she noticed his piercing stare. Was he trying to bore a hole into her?

"You said a very good amount of money," Kagome said slowly. "How good?"

"Five billion dollars." Kagome reeled with shock, nearly choking.

"Five billion dollars? Just for this company?" Kagome murmured.

"It's a very good company. And we would like to have it," Kagura said. "No matter the price. Although, I would assume five billion dollars is more than enough."

"So, you're trying to buy us out?" Kagome said, chewing on her lip again. "Why?" Kagura's expression became guarded.

"'Why' is not the question here. The question is, will you?" Kagura said, a bit harshly.

"Well, this isn't a decision just meant for me, of course. But I am specifically asking you, what do you plan to do with this company? This is the headquarters, but we have many more buildings. In the five billion dollars, are you including those businesses as well?" Kagome asked, regaining her business equilibrium.

"What we plan to do with what we own after we buy it is none of your concern," Kagura said snappishly.

"But while it is in partial ownership of me, I do have a concern in it," Kagome countered. "Why do you want our company so bad, after all this time of just competing with us?" Kagome asked. "In face, if I'm not mistaken, your company has been doing better than ours lately. Probably why you can offer five billion dollars in the bat of an eye. So why try to buy us out now?"

Kagura sneered. "My, my. Looks like she _has _been doing her homework." Kagome blinked. Since when did this business meeting turn into the verbal spar of thirteen-year olds?

"Kagura." Kagome blinked. That was the man. He only said Kagura's name, but it had a hint of a warning to it. Kagura snorted, crossing her arms and looking out the window like a scolded child. Unexpectedly, the man spoke this time.

"You would like to know the reason _why _I desire this company so much?" he said slowly. "I want to buy your company because I want to merge it with my own and be the owner of such a powerful company. Power is everything."

Kagome refrained herself from rolling her eyes at him. So he was one of _those _people. Still, he was their major competitor, so she couldn't take him that lightly.

"I know you can't make the decision yourself, so we let the offer stand," Kagura said hastily, regaining partial control over the meeting. Kagome knew better. Kagura was doing the talking, but Kagura couldn't see the strings attached to herself, masterfully manipulated by Naraku into believing she had some authority. She had done majority of the talking, but the moment Naraku spoke, it was obvious: Naraku was in charge.

Naraku stalked out, followed by a moody Kagura. Kagome sat there for a moment, looking forlornly at her briefcase. "Too bad. I didn't even get to use you," Kagome said, then lifted it and walked out. As soon as she walked out, people were staring expectantly at her, waiting to be told what happened. Kagome pursed her lips and strode away, towards Myouga's office. He said he had another meeting, but she figured this was important enough for her to wait.

As she walked in into the dark office, she felt a familiar slight weight on her neck.

"Myouga!" she wailed as she slapped a hand to her neck. A flattened Myouga floated to the floor. As he puffed himself out once more, he scowled up at her, jumping up and down.

"What's wrong with you? I'm your _boss_!" he said. Kagome crossed her arms, and Myouga looked increasingly uncomfortable, ceasing his jumping and mumbling an apology.

"Why didn't _you _go to the meeting? I thought _you _had a meeting!" Kagome said, closing the door behind her, since employees were starting to look around corners at them.

"Yes… So what's your point?" Myouga asked. Kagome's eye twitched, and she reached down to pinch Myouga between her thumb and forefinger.

"You said you couldn't go to _this _meeting because you had _another _meeting," Kagome said, her fingers tightening. Myouga tried to squirm out of her grasp, but something so small could never compete with something so big. Not in brute strength, anyway.

"Okay! Okay!" Myouga said, still struggling. Kagome relaxed her hold, but squeezed tight enough to keep Myouga nervous.

"Well…?" Kagome said while Myouga sweated.

"Um… Well… I kind of… lied—" he wheezed as Kagome's fingers gave a brief "spasm." "I'm scared of Naraku! He gives me the willies, the goosebumps, the chills, whatever!" He bounced to the ground as Kagome let go, contemplating his answer.

"So you didn't go because you're a coward," Kagome translated. Myouga mumbled something. Kagome didn't hear, but didn't need to. "He wants to take over this company, Myouga." Myouga's gaze hardened.

"We'll have to see about that."

* * *

By the time she was out of the office, she was exhausted. Myouga and she had looked at every angle of the situation. Their conclusion was that they didn't really have anything to combat five billion dollars, since that was a _huge _amount of money, even for corporate leaders such as Myouga. They would rather end up on the street, fighting, rather than just handing over the business that had been in Myouga's family for ages. 

Kagome was going to the elevator, not paying attention to whomever she was bumping into. She kept her eyes on her feet, concentrating on putting one in front of the other.

An arm draped around her, and she stiffened. She expected to see Kouga, and prepared herself to apologize to him for her earlier rudeness. What she didn't expect, were Inuyasha's two pools of molten gold. He supported her as she walked, and she blinked at him. She didn't notice that he was slowly turning her around, heading back to Myouga's office.

"Inuyasha?" she asked, blinking again. Inuyasha chuckled warmly.

"You're acting like you're drunk again. I'm guessing a long day at work?" he asked, his lips curving upward in a smirk.

"Yeah… Long day," Kagome said, yawning. "Why are you here?"

"I have to talk to my gramps. Wait here for me, and I'll follow you home to make sure you don't fall asleep at the wheel," Inuyasha said. Kagome normally would have refused the protective action, but she was afraid she _would _fall asleep at the wheel. She nodded, her mouth opening to give a jaw-cracking yawn. Inuyasha winced.

They strode into the office, and Inuyasha led her to one of Myouga's sofas. She curled up against the arm, her head going on it and she blinked sleepily as she saw Inuyasha walk towards the desk. She fought to keep her eyelids open, but lost.

Inuyasha scowled at the haggard flea.

"Why are you here?" Myouga asked. Inuyasha crossed his arms, looking back at the sleeping Kagome.

"You completely wore her out. What the hell did she do?" Inuyasha said, and Myouga didn't miss the protectiveness in Inuyasha's voice. Getting a sly look in his eye, Myouga shrugged.

"She had an important meeting, that was relatively short, but afterwards, we discussed how to handle an important problem," Myouga stated. For the second time that day, he was trapped between a thumb and a forefinger, only these were much stronger and had no reserves about squashing him.

"How long have you kept her in your office?" Inuyasha asked lowly. Myouga gulped. Definitely couldn't miss the protectiveness now.

"Uh… four hours?" Myouga said. Myouga felt the blood being pumped into his head as he was being squeezed further. "Please! Inuyasha! Mercy!"

"I was waiting for her ass back at her house, but she doesn't show up for an hour, and this is what I found out? That you kept her as your slave here?" Inuyasha glanced at Kagome again, who was snoring lightly.

"We could lose our company," Myouga said silently, and Inuyasha dropped the flea.

"What?" he hissed. Myouga nodded gravely, one of his four hands mopping up the perspiration on his forehead.

"Do you know of Naraku?" Myouga asked.

"That huge corporate guy? The one that's up there with Bill Gates?" Myouga nodded. "What about him?"

"Well, it seems he's offering five billion dollars-maybe more-for this company," Myouga said. Inuyasha's nostrils flared and his eyes burned with fury as he reared away from the desk.

"No matter what you do," Inuyasha said quietly to the wall, "you can't give this company away." Myouga nodded. He knew Inuyasha would say that.

This company, Tetsusaiga Inc., was his father's legacy. It had started out in Myouga's family, as a small little company, but before Myouga's grandfather could produce an heir, he had named Toga, otherwise known as Inutaisho, to be the owner of the company. After a century or two passed, Myouga's father was finally conceived, and Inutaisho made the company into one of the biggest successes in the history of business. Inutaisho had changed the name to Tetsusaiga, which only seemed to punctuate the success even more. Myouga's father had regarded Inutaisho as his mentor, learning all the business before Inutaisho was brutally murdered. Two years later, Inuyasha's mother died. He had been five or so at the time. She had died of grief. The killer hadn't been found as of yet, but Inuyasha had been already conceived before Inutaisho's death. Myouga knew he would hand it back over to Inuyasha in the end.

Inuyasha didn't know this, of course.

Inuyasha knew of the history of the company, knew its sentimental value to himself. He never knew his pops, but he knew his mother. And his mother had loved his father. He thought Toga was a bastard to die on them, a resentment in his heart for also being the cause of his mother's death. But inside, deep inside, he loved his father, as any child loved their parents.

"Five billion dollars," Inuyasha murmured. That was quite the hefty sum. Naraku would have to sell nearly all of his stocks to gather that much money. Would Naraku gamble that much? Not unless he was sure of the outcome. From what he's read about Naraku in articles and clippings, Naraku was a ruthless son of a bitch that didn't let anything stand in his way of power.

But he'd never offered nearly all of his money before to buy a company.

Where was he getting that kind of money? Inuyasha growled at the thought of his father's company going to someone else's hands illegally. What would he do with a company that was less successful than his own?

"This is so confusing," Inuyasha muttered, turning around and walking towards Kagome. Myouga watched as Inuyasha hefted Kagome into his arms, and saw how Kagome nestled further into Inuyasha's chest for warmth. Myouga smiled, a twinkle in his eye. It was reassuring to see such a sight at such a dark time.

"She'll have a hernia if she knows you carried her out of the building so publicly," Myouga pointed out. Inuyasha nodded, glancing down at Kagome's face fondly.

"That's what I'm counting on," Inuyasha said, and smirked.

"Yes, she has got quite the temper on her," Myouga said gravely, grimacing.

"I'm leaving now. If you have any more bad news, or if you need me, have someone call me," Inuyasha said, shifting Kagome so he could open the door. Myouga nodded, and Inuyasha went out.

The first thing Inuyasha noticed was the stares. Fingers stopped typing. One woman came up to him and asked him if Kagome was okay.

"She's fine," Inuyasha said, and pushed past her. Suddenly, a strong scent filled his nose, and he felt the rumble in his chest grow to a growl. It was the fucking wolf demon's scent, the one that put his paws all over Kagome. Just as the growl came out of his mouth, there was a hand on his shoulder, turning him around. The growl turned into a snarl, and he felt Kagome stir in his arms.

"What the hell are you doing with Kagome! Get your stinkin' hands off of her!" Kouga yelled, trying to take Kagome. Kagome was awake now, crying out as two pairs of arms played tug-of-war with her body. Inuyasha was instantly infuriated at Kouga, for causing Kagome pain. Kouga was mad at Inuyasha for trying to take his woman.

"Fuck off!" Inuyasha said. Kouga snarled in return, then paused.

"_You're _the scent I smell on her all the time! I can't believe she settled for a lowly dog hanyou like y—" Kouga didn't get to finish the sentence as Inuyasha set Kagome on the floor and drove his fist into Kouga's face.

"Inuyasha, what are you doing!" Kagome shrieked, struggling to her feet. Inuyasha grabbed her arm and practically dragged her to the elevator. "What the heck!" Kagome said as he practically threw her into the elevator.

"Shut up," Inuyasha said gruffly, but Kagome only grew angrier at his tone of warning.

"You hit a coworker of mine! _And _you were trying to carry me out of the building! Do you know what kind of ribbing I'll get tomorrow? And you _punched _Kouga in the—"

"And it felt damn good, too," Inuyasha growled. Kagome blinked, and then she scowled at him.

"Don't joke with me, mister! I want to know why the heck you were hitting my co-worker! My employee!" Kagome snarled. Inuyasha shrugged.

"He was trying to take you away," he said simply. Kagome stared at him, and then sighed.

"You do realize that if I woke up when you two were handling me like a rag, I would have taken you both down?" Kagome asked. Inuyasha looked up and down her slight frame, then smirked.

"You couldn't fight off a determined fly," Inuyasha said. Kagome bristled. She stepped closer to him, shoving her finger into his chest.

"I can take you on any day, any time," Kagome growled, stabbing her finger into his hard chest with each word, emphasizing her point. His hand snapped up to grab her hand in his, but she pulled away quickly. "Ha! See? I'm _faster _than you," she crowed.

Inuyasha wanted to crush her against him and have his remaining time on the elevator with her—horizontally—but she danced out of his reach, and he held back much of his speed and strength with amusement at her antics.

She was so childish, so innocent, laughing as she avoided his wandering hand.

"I can take you _and _Kouga at the same time, if it means I have to," Kagome said. Inuyasha stuffed his hands in his pockets, contemplating the overhead lights in the elevator.

"He'll be fine. He just might have a bruise on his face for a couple of hours," Inuyasha said. He wanted her mad again. She looked pretty when she was mad.

Kagome stopped prancing around in the elevator and scowled at him. She punched the button for the floor they had been on, and Inuyasha bared his teeth at her.

"Where do you think _you're _going?" he asked, pulling her out with him when the doors opened and she attempted to remain there.

"I'm going up to apologize for your heinous behavior!" she said, and tugged at her hand. His grip didn't relinquish, and he only shook his head. "Dang it, Inuyasha! Let me go!"

People were starting to stare, and one woman looked as if she was going to call security. Inuyasha scowled and pulled Kagome outside. She opened her mouth to yell, but Inuyasha cut her off with a hard kiss.

His mouth plundered hers, searching for something. She tried to help him as best as she could, meeting his tongue with hers and whimpering as his hands went into her hair to hold her as he liked. She subjugated, tilting her head the way he wanted.

Kagome blinked when he pulled away, her anger dissipating like a fog on a summer day. "What was that for?" she asked, touching her swollen lips.

"That was for talking too much," Inuyasha said gruffly. Kagome blinked. "To get you to shut up," Inuyasha clarified, and Kagome flushed with anger once more. He tilted his head as he studied her. She was yelling at him, but he didn't hear a word she was saying.

He stuffed his hands in his pockets once more, knowing he could take her on the asphalt and not care. Her face was a rosy hue, due to her anger, and her lips swollen from his kiss. He had no doubt that he had some of her lip-gloss on his lips, and his tongue darted out to taste it again. Her eyes were burning with fury, with passion, and he felt himself drown in them. Her hair was mussed and tossed from the wind and his hands, and he felt a kick in his gut as he felt the familiar lust hit him like a train. Only this time, he felt something shift in him, squeezing his heart.

When Kagome stopped yelling, she realized he wasn't listening to a word. He was staring at her, studying her face for some reason. She walked closer to him, toe-to-toe, and stuck her face in his, her teeth bared. He blinked and tried to step back, surprised, but she followed.

"Do you find my face interesting while I'm yelling at you?" she asked in a dangerously low voice. Inuyasha gave a disarming grin, but it had no effect on her. Well, maybe a little. But that was beside the point.

"I find you cute when you're yelling at me," Inuyasha said simply, startling her into silence. Then she threw her hands up into the air in frustration.

"I give up! You're such a butt," Kagome hissed, and stalked to her car. He climbed in with her, and she glanced at him.

"I'm not bringing you back here to get your car," Kagome said. Inuyasha shrugged. "You can't sleep at my house," Kagome added, horrified of the fact that he might stay at her house for a night. Talk about dangerous. Talk about lethal. Talk about tempting.

"Why not?" Inuyasha drawled, adjusting the seat so he was partially lying back.

"You know why not," Kagome spat back, and started her engine. "Now get out." Inuyasha stayed where he was, closing his eyes as if he was asleep. Kagome's cell phone started to ring, and she picked it up, growling at Inuyasha's stubbornness.

"Hello," she snapped into the phone.

"Is that anyway to greet your dear old mother?" said Mrs. Higurashi.

"Oh, Mom. Sorry," Kagome said, relaxing and starting to pull out. She would make Inuyasha walk home later.

"How have you been?" she asked. Kagome sighed.

"It's been…" she looked at Inuyasha. "Difficult. Very difficult." She rolled her eyes when he grinned.

"You wouldn't be talking about me, would you?" he asked in a loud whisper. Kagome shook her head, but was startled when there was a shriek on the other end of the phone.

"Kagome Higurashi, you finally landed a man!" her mother said cheerfully. Kagome winced.

"How did you know that was a guy?" Kagome demanded.

"Well, I would hope that it wasn't a _girl_," Kagome's mother said pointedly. Kagome sighed.

"Point taken. Anyway, he's not my man. He's convinced he is, but puh-leeze," Kagome said.

"That's okay. I'll get the complete story from Myouga," Mrs. Higurashi said breezily. Kagome's heart froze, but she didn't say anything. She glanced at Inuyasha. He looked like the perfection of innocence. He didn't tell Myouga anything… Did he? Like going to a club and getting drunk? "I'm so glad you've finally gotten yourself someone to depend on."

"I don't depend on _anyone_," Kagome said stiffly. Inuyasha sighed. Now, that was the problem, wasn't it?

"Yes, yes, of course dear. I'll talk to you later. I must gouge the details out of Myouga. It's been a long time since I've talked to him as well," Mrs. Higurashi said, hanging up. Kagome hung up, concentrating on the road.

"What the heck did you tell Myouga?" Kagome asked. "Nothing, right?"

"Um… He knows that you got drunk and _slept _with me, remember?" Inuyasha said, chuckling. Kagome shrieked.

"Oh God! I hope he doesn't say it like that to my mother!" Kagome groaned. Inuyasha raised an eyebrow.

"Will she mind? It's not like you're seventeen anymore," Inuyasha pointed out. Kagome shook her head.

"That's the point. She _won't _mind. The next thing you know, she'll be pushing you for marriage with me," she said forlornly. Inuyasha paled.

_Marriage! With Kagome! _He didn't know why he felt so panicked, but he felt as if there wasn't enough air in the world to keep him alive now. The idea scared him, mostly because he knew inside that he really wouldn't mind if he got married to her.

_Whoa. _Him and commitment usually didn't mix, but this time… No, he couldn't do that to her. He wouldn't be marrying for love. And that was exactly what she was looking for. He couldn't give her something he didn't have. Right?

His mind was reeling, and the rest of the car ride to her home was silent.

_I hope he goes home now_, Kagome thought sullenly, pulling into her driveway. Well, she _would _have pulled into her driveway, if it wasn't for the motorcycle already there.

"Darn it! Who—" Kagome stopped, then looked at Inuyasha. "How in the world did you get to my workplace?" Kagome asked. Inuyasha shrugged.

"I ran," he said. Kagome gaped.

"What?"

Inuyasha grinned cheekily. "Just kidding. Running requires the highway, and I didn't feel like being flipped off today. I called a taxi. The cycle's here in case you really do boot me out," Inuyasha said. He was struggling to forget the marriage bit, trying to keep the nonchalance.

"Right…" Kagome said, as she got out of her car. Inuyasha got out as well, and Kagome locked the doors. Inuyasha raised an eyebrow.

"You don't lock your house door, but you lock your car doors?" he asked. Kagome shrugged.

"You never know what kind of psychos are out there," she said breezily, walking into her house. Inuyasha shook his head bemusedly, smiling and going in after her.

They ate dinner together, thanks to Kagome's chef-like cooking, although Inuyasha still complained that ramen was better. He still had a bump on his head as a result. After dinner, they watched an old movie: The Lion King.

"This is my favorite movie," Kagome whispered at the end, curled up against Inuyasha's side.

"Yeah. Mine too," Inuyasha murmured, his hand continuing to sift through her hair. Kagome pushed away from him when he said that, and he blinked at her. "What?"

"You like Lion King? It's your favorite movie?" Kagome snorted. "Very unlikely." Inuyasha growled.

"Why do you say that? I'm telling you, woman, I like Lion King," Inuyasha said. Kagome snorted with laughter.

"Keep on saying it, Inuyasha, I might actually believe you soon," Kagome said between her laughter.

"I'm not kidding, wench!" Inuyasha wrestled her down on the couch, and was growling at her when her arms surprisingly wrapped around his neck.

"Aren't you the perfect man," Kagome chortled, and kissed him. It was a light, breezy kiss, but he felt it all the way down to his toes. He felt his own body quiver once, and he buried his nose into her neck, breathing deeply.

"You drive me crazy," Inuyasha murmured against her skin.

"Same goes for you," Kagome said back, smiling. Inuyasha lifted himself onto his elbows above her, scowling.

"I didn't mean in the good way," he clarified.

"Neither did I," Kagome retorted. He scowled some more, then got off of her. Kagome blinked as she propped herself up onto her elbows. "No kiss? No move? No coming onto me?" she asked, surprised. Inuyasha gave her a wry smile, and shook his head.

"Not tonight princess. If I'm planning to crash here, then can't do anything naughty," Inuyasha said. Kagome sighed.

"You're not sleeping here," Kagome said wearily. Inuyasha grinned.

"I thought you'd say that. So I brought this…" He rummaged in his pocket, and pulled out a lollipop. Kagome snorted.

"You're not serious, are you?" Kagome asked. "It's gonna take more than that to bribe me."

"Well, I _did _have another ride on the cycle planned, but since you don't want me here…" Inuyasha waited for her reaction.

Kagome thought long and hard about it. Very long and hard.

"I'm not asking the meaning of life, bitch," Inuyasha said. Kagome's eyes flared.

"You can't stay here," Kagome said with finality. Inuyasha sighed.

"I'll give you some Pocky too. I have it on my motorcycle," Inuyasha said. Kagome's eyes widened, then narrowed.

"Tempting, but no thanks," Kagome said. Inuyasha moved closer to her, his intent and purpose clear as he walked towards her. Kagome kept on stepping back until she felt the cold wall at her back. He pressed against her, smiling a feral grin. She clenched her eyes shut, waiting for something similar to an attack.

"Kagome," his voice rumbled.

"I thought you said no seducing!" she squeaked, and kept her eyes closed.

"Kagome…" his voice started to come out in a very odd sound. It sounded like… a strangled laugh.

"Don't laugh at me! You're the one that said it!" Kagome said, finally opening her eyes and snapping at him. She tried to shove him away, but he didn't budge. He squashed her against the wall until she had to move her head sideways so she could breathe. "Get off!"

"Hm…" Inuyasha wasn't listening. He was staring down at her with apt interest.

"You're squishing me!"

"Mm hm…"

"Inuyasha! If you don't get off, I'm going to… to…" Kagome stopped, unable to think of a threat to harm the hanyou.

"You'll what?" Inuyasha asked, amused.

"I'll…" Kagome smiled brilliantly as she got an idea. "I'll throw away all your ramen so that you'll have to go out and buy more." Inuyasha's eyes narrowed.

"You wouldn't."

"Watch me."

Scowling, Inuyasha got off of her. Kagome grinned in triumph.

"You know, I think I found your weakness," Kagome said, musing. Inuyasha growled.

"Don't think too much of it, bitch," Inuyasha said. Kagome frowned as she walked to her sofa and sat down.

"Stop calling me that," Kagome said. Inuyasha lifted an eyebrow.

"I'm a dog demon. You're a female. That's what I call you," Inuyasha pointed out. Kagome slapped herself on the forehead.

"I'm stupid," Kagome said. Inuyasha shrugged.

"No argument from me," he said nonchalantly, and was surprised when a sofa pillow hit him smack in the face.

"Jerk," Kagome muttered, then pointed to the door. "I do believe it's nighttime and you need to go home. You've already broken curfew," Kagome said. Inuyasha sighed.

"You're really not letting me stay?" he asked. Kagome shook her head.

"Nope. Now, march!" Inuyasha hung his head dejectedly. "Unless…" Inuyasha whipped his head up. "Unless you don't mind sleeping on the couch," Kagome said. Inuyasha stepped back, appalled.

"Hell no!" he said. Kagome shrugged.

"Okay. March!" Inuyasha muttered dark things under his breath as he moved to the door. Kagome stood to open the door for him.

"I didn't know you had such manners," Inuyasha said sarcastically as he stepped out. Kagome smiled sweetly at him.

"I don't." She shut the door in his face. Inuyasha scowled at first, but started to chuckle as he went to his cycle.

"What a woman."

* * *

**wk: **Okay! End of chapter seven. Good? Bad? Let's get some more comments. I know I didn't have Inuyasha talk at the radio in this chapter, and I'm sorry for the absence of it. Unfortunately, like I said previously, I am going to cut down on the radio shows, because... well, I ran out of topics. Actually, here's an idea: **Give me topics that Inuyasha can talk about, and I will try to put yours in the story. More details at the end of the _ReViEw oF rEvIeWs_**. 

**_ReViEw oF rEvIeWs_**:

Hehe, what can I say? I like fluff! And with the amount of reviews I got, I figured you guys deserved a bit of good humorous fluff. We'll see more of the boyfriend later. As for Inuyasha pounding his face in... I'll have to think on it. Thanks for the idea though, **Wheezambu**!

Well, I _will _tell you that Ayame's boyfriend isn't abusive, **silentslayer**. He's just... an asshole. Hehe, I'm glad I gave you chills, because that means my writing was good enough to give you chills. And of course, Naraku and Kagura... What can I say about them? They're evil.

Well, **binab86**, I'm glad you liked my review of your review. I hope you liked my chapter, and I didn't update _too _late, hopefully.

I'm gonna try, **Aoi Senshi**! Thanks for the compliment!

Hehe, I didn't really get reviews telling me to go hell for that yet, **firebird5**. And here's a clue... Well, no. I can't give you a hint about Shippo. (Grins) Well, actually, the clue is in your review. I'll tell you when the time comes... and Inuyasha will take care of Ayame's boyfriend too of course. He _is _the bull-headed, protective uncle. (Sighs) I wish I could have him not wrapped in _anything _if you get my drift. (Grins evilly) Oh, the havoc I could wreck on the world.

Thanks, **Gittelbug**! I hope I updated soon enough for you!

Thanks for keeping up with my story, **Kombat-King**! It's good to have you as a correspondent. Anyways, I'm sure you read my review for your story. (Smiles)

Well, I think you have a few misconceptions, **Kiala**. Inuyasha isn't jealous that Ayame has a boyfriend. He wouldn't have been mad at all if the boyfriend had just said politely hello and gave the phone to Ayame without trouble. If the boyfriend was decent, then Inuyasha would have given Ayame some ribbing about it, but other than that, he's a protective inu-hanyou that's just been cussed to. I actually think I had him underreact. Oops. Maybe he overreacted? Anyway, sorry you didn't like it. (Smiles) I _did _take your idea on Inu and Kouga meeting though. Thanks!

Hehe, yes I did, **Kimitoshi**! Thanks for reading my fic! And thanks for the compliments, too.

Thanks, **Miztical-Dragon**. Say, is it just me, or did you change your name? Or how you spell it? Anyway, I think review spam is good. But you're right... you're not allowed. (Sighs) Poor me. Haha, the next thing you know, there'll be an altar near my house with "_whoknoez_" on a piece of rock. I feel honored. Thanks much, Krystal!

Well, they _are _together, just not... Well, they didn't have sex yet, **Inuyasha's-1-and-only-lov**. I hope you weren't disappointed. Hope you didn't wait as long for this chapter. Wait for the next one!

Hehe, I liked that idea, too, **sapphire pink**. I was considering for a serious moment whether or not to just fire him, but... (Sighs) I'm afraid my good sense prevailed. There would just be no story with no animosity between Kouga and Inuyasha. How boring.

Thanks, **Mini Nicka**. Well, first off, yes, I _do _plan on having Sesshoumaru and Rin in the story. I just don't know when. When they do enter the story, I will probably have Rin as an adult, for obvious reasons (Sesshy). Kouga and Ayame... I am debating upon. Keep on reading and find out later!

Sorry, **Why?What?Shutup**. I figured a cliffhanger would be good. (Grimaces) I guess I figured wrong?

Thanks, **d&g**! I like the way Kagome is, too. Her personality was modeled after someone I know, so I'll relay your compliment to her as well. (Grins) You'll just have to see about Inuyasha and Kagome...

Thank so much for the compliments, **Goddess Aphrodite**! I don't know if what you had in mind was what I had in mind, but do share... I would like to know what you thought. Thanks for reading, and calling me awesome! (Grins)

Your welcome, **purely luck**. And yes, Sango and Miroku are... well... _already _a couple. I just didn't emphasize it very strongly. You didn't miss anything. I didn't really write about them much... Think I should start? Hehe... (Grimaces) My fault.

Haha, I'm not sure if I _deserve _that many reviews, but I appreciate your compliments! They make my balloon-head that much bigger! Oh, and thank you for telling me how your name is spelled, **Silent Aquila**. My eyes must've been on the grill at the moment. And I don't mind that you didn't review my 5th chapter. As long as you read it, I'm happy. (Smiles) Oh, and I don't think this chapter was a cliffie, so relax!

My fic loves you right back, **Xx tickle me ElmoXx**... and naw, these fics don't really require that much brain power. Or else this fic would have gone down the drain already. Hope you didn't wait too long for this chapter to come out. Sorry it took so long! And I'll accept the medal graciously, of course. (Grins)

I think I know where you got confused, **Lucky-Lilly**. It was the point where Kagome was talking to Myouga, and she wasn't supposed to be laughing... she was supposed to be... I don't know... scared or something, I forgot. But I was writing one thing, and I read over it, didn't like it, so I changed it, and I must have forgotten to change that part. I'll fix it when I go over the fic when I'm done. Hope you didn't wait long for me to update.

Thanks, **shaid**! I need that luck for school. It's so freakin' hard! (Sighs) Hope you look forward to reading the next chapter too!

Soo sorry I took so long again, **yasha21**! (Scowls and grimaces) Work and school take no prisoners. Well, they took one. Me. (Growls) Hope you didn't have to wait too long for this chapter... (Grimaces again) And you'll see how Kagome and Ayame will react to each other later in the story. (Smiles)

Hehe, glad you liked the lime, **Esther Tan**. And of course Inuyasha is protective of what he considers family. And, what he considers... Kagome. Anyway, yes, Naraku came, saw, and hasn't conquered yet. Hopefully, Inuyasha will be able to intervene as he always does. Sorry you have to wait so much for me to update my stories! I'm sloowww... (Sighs)

Well, as long as you _have _the internet, **PeachesDani**. Do you have Dial-Up? (Grimaces) Ouch. If you do, I feel for you. I used to have dial-up. The crappiest piece of crap in the world. Made my life hell. (Sighs) Hope you didn't wait _too _long for this chapter!

Thanks, **inulova4life**! My story really likes you back! Hehe, and hope you figured it out in this chapter. Hope you didn't wait too long for it...!

Yeah, Kagura and Naraku _do _bring out that response in people. Haha, and I'll think about the... er... "_action_", **Disoriented Mind**. Anyways, hope you liked this chapter.

Thanks, **hibi**! I'm honored to be among favorites. The greatest accomplishment is to... well, be accomplished at something. I'm not _great _at writing, but I'm hoping to get better. Keep with me! And yeah, Inuyasha doing radio just hit me one day, and I liked the sound of it. So here I am! (Grins)

Well, Naraku and Kagura are scary people, **hellokitty-sayhello**. 'Cuz they're evil! And bad! And just... bad! Oh, and thanks for the comment about the favorites list. There are a lot of good stories out there! I just couldn't help but put them there in case other people wanted to read them.

Oops. hope you didn't hyperventilate, **Rurouni-Inu**! Breathe! Breathe! I updated! Although maybe not as soon as anyone would have liked, but... I updated! Breathe! Breathe!

Thanks, **Daddy's Pixie**! Yes, time is short, and precious... and there just isn't enough of it. My parents already think I'm wasting my life in front of the screen, whether it be the TV screen or the computer screen, which of course isn't true, but... What can I do? (Shrugs) Hope you didn't wait to long for this chapter!

Hehe, thanks, **hanyou punk chick**! I felt that leaving you all hanging like that would be good so you'd _have _to wait for the next chapter. Evil, aren't I? I should join forces with Naraku and rule the world! Too bad I don't like him that much.

Hehe, I try to maintain some of their character from on the show, only with a little bit more... stuff to it. I added it on, of course. Kagome hopefully fit into the role at her workplace now. And thanks for keeping an eye on my fic, **MichiruAOZ**! As you said... 'Til next time!

Oops... Hope you didn't wait too long, **Celestial Fox**. (Grimaces) I kind of had little spare time these days... And I hope I _am _doing a good job with the story. Thanks for the encouragement!

Thanks for putting it in your favorites, **Amunett**! Like I said to **hibi**, I'm honored to be one of the favorites. It makes me feel more successful in my writing. Thanks for keeping tabs on the story! Hope you continue to do so!

Hope I didn't update too late for you, **dizliladibjudy**, since you _did_ review... yesterday? Two days ago? Anyway, thanks for reading my story! Hope you're continuing to read it!

**wk: **Wow. My hand hurts from writing all those reviews of reviews. I think I have the carpel whatchamacallit now. Hehe, but don't let that stop you from reviewing! You guys have topped yourselves! Seriously! Last chapter, I had 30 reviews, but this time I had... Hold on... It's taking a while to count... Exactly **35 reviews**! Whoo! _That _is the new record for how many I have received for a chapter. Thanks so much guys! You're the best! Oh, and remember...

**Think of topics that I can use to make Inuyasha talk about! I can't think of anything, so I need your help! Think about it as our own online radio... Write in your review what Inuyasha can talk about! And Inuyasha will speak about it on his show! Or, e-mail me at my e-mail address in my profile! Make 'em good people! Thanks! This way, you guys can be even more involved, and this way, I can have Inuyasha do "shows" more often.** **Also, I'll probably make Inuyasha a little needlessly mean. Don't be offended or anything, but remember: Inuyasha's just mean like that.** **If you want real advice from me, tell me so.** Thanks again! Oh, and also know that I can't use everyone's ideas, because now I'm going to have Inuyasha also talking about Naraku on the radio. Not much time! Sorry folks.


	8. The Last Weekend

**Disclaimer: **Not mineeeee!!

**wk**: Okay. So here's where we left off a while ago... Actually, I don't even remember. I just start writing whenever the mood hits, which is whenever I have spare time. Sorry I got this out so late folks! School has been murder on my mind and body. I'm having four, five hour sleep days now. Stinks. Sorry again, and EnJoY!

**Chapter Eight   
The Last Weekend**

Inuyasha was bleary-eyed when he came into work the three days later. He was nearly half an hour late.

"Where the hell have you been?" Miroku hissed at him. Inuyasha shrugged. He had been unable to sleep, thinking of a certain woman with raven hair. They had spent the weekend together, doing all sorts of menial tasks together.

"Sleeping," Inuyasha snarled, putting on the headset. Miroku pressed a button, and, to Inuyasha's disgust, sounded cheerful.

"Finally, our speaker has arrived. We'll be taking more calls now, and Hanyou will also be answering our calls. I'm sure you're sick of me now, so—"

"Miroku, I told you that you talk to much before, and I'm sure you'll stop now before I tell you again," Inuyasha said irritably. Miroku frowned.

"Didn't get much sleep?" Miroku retorted.

"Maybe," Inuyasha growled. Miroku rolled his eyes and answered a call.

"Hey, you're on—"

"What do you want to ask?" Inuyasha snapped. Miroku gave Inuyasha a disapproving look that Inuyasha disregarded.

"Well, I just wanted to start a discussion on gay people. Should they be allowed to be married?" A girl asked. Inuyasha paused.

"Well, what do you think about it?" he asked.

"Well, I think it's wrong, and just plainly shouldn't be allowed," she said. Inuyasha raised a brow.

"So you're all for going into the business of homosexuals?" Inuyasha asked.

"No! I just don't think their marriages—"

"What does it matter if they get married or not? It's their lives, and if they say they're in love enough to face public scorn and get married to each other, then it must be some semblance of love," Inuyasha said. The girl hesitated to answer.

"I thought you didn't believe in love, Hanyou," the girl retorted after a few seconds. Inuyasha blanched. He didn't!

"I don't," Inuyasha muttered. "But it's not my problem if other people do." He congratulated himself on that one. "And, you still haven't answered my question. What does it matter to _you, _on a personal level, whether they get married or not?"

"Okay, for example, my tax dollars go into—"

"Don't talk about them wasting your tax dollars, because the way I see it, the government wastes it a lot more than married gay couples, and I don't see hordes of people actively hating against the government," Inuyasha snapped.

"That's different! The government—" Inuyasha hung up on her.

"Geez. Just can't shut up and admit I'm right," Inuyasha said.

"Yes, since you're just correct all the time," Miroku said wryly. Inuyasha rolled his eyes.

"And what about you, Miroku? What do _you _think of this deal?" Inuyasha asked. Miroku shrugged.

"I think the same thing you do. It's none of my business, although I don't see how they could give up anything so… delicious, such as our dear technician, Sango-san," Miroku said slyly, and watched her face go red with embarrassment and anger through the glass. She was yelling something, but he couldn't make it outand shrugged. She slid her forefinger across her throat, and then he understood. He gulped. His dear Sango would kill him later. Oh well. The make-up sex afterwards would be worth it. He grinned, which only got her fuming more. Inuyasha coughed as he watched the exchange.

"Anyways… next caller," Inuyasha said, punching a button.

"Hi. This is Michiro, and I just have to say, that girl was _so _right. I support her, and I think the both of you are—" Inuyasha hung up on her too, a bored expression on his face.

"Looks like I just heard… a change of topic," Inuyasha said. "I think that… uh… the sky is blue, and the grass is green. Go!" Miroku rolled his eyes.

"Yes, Hanyou, that was pure brilliance. I'm sure it took years for you to figure it out," Miroku said sarcastically. Inuyasha sniffed.

"Well, you think of something then, if you're so smart." Miroku thought for a moment.

"Legalization of marijuana. Should it be allowed?" Miroku said triumphantly. Inuyasha stared at him, then scowled.

"Okay, fine. Legalization of marijuana."

"Didn't expect me to have an idea, did you?" Miroku asked.

"I didn't expect you to have a brain, nonetheless an idea," Inuyasha said, smirking. Miroku looked at Inuyasha with sophisticated distaste. "So who thinks legalization of marijuana should be allowed?" Inuyasha asked, a bored tone underlying his voice.

"I think marijuana should be legalized for medicinal purposes," Miroku said. Inuyasha punched a button.

"We're going to ignore what Miroku just said. How 'bout it…?" Inuyasha asked.

"Well," said the voice on the line. "My name is Susie, and I think that legalization of marijuana is horrible… my friend's father died from addiction to marijuana. Even if it was used in hospitals, there's a good chance the patient could become addicted to it anyway," she said. Inuyasha raised a brow and smiled.

"Finally. An intelligent caller. What do you say to that, Miroku?"

"I think that if it was used wisely in hospitals, and the patients were monitored for any symptoms of withdrawal or cravings, they can work around it or straight through it, as long as patients are being watched."

"But who would actually put in the effort of watching _every _patient at _every _minute of the day? Who knows what they do when they go to the restroom… they could have a hidden stash in their hospital gowns and are smoking it on the toilet," Susie said. Inuyasha was nodding in agreement.

"Then if the nurses and doctors are paying close attention, they would see that the patient is clearly using something from his mannerisms and his pupils," Miroku said triumphantly. "All you need," Miroku said, "is a little loving watch from our friendly neighborhood nurses." Miroku astounded Inuyasha by being the one to hang up on the girl. Miroku beamed as he sat back. "I win."

Inuyasha shook his head bemusedly. "As interesting as that was…" Inuyasha shook his head again. "Miroku, I didn't know you had a brain cell in you that didn't have to do with the female gender to argue like that."

Miroku started to retort, but a glance at the clock at him smiling slyly. "Guess what time it is, Hanyou," Miroku said gleefully, nudging his head toward the clock as a hint. Inuyasha looked at the clock, but didn't panic as Miroku thought he would. He only sat back and his lips quirked upwards, as if he _wanted _to talk about "Kikyou" and his relationship.

"Well…" Inuyasha's lips went further upwards as he recalled the events of the night before. Miroku could see something on Inuyasha's face as he spoke of "Kikyou" that he had never seen on Inuyasha's face before. "I'm thinking it's getting better. I'm telling you man. She's hot for me."

"Uh-huh… Any special reason you say this?" Miroku said. Inuyasha grinned.

"She lets me make-out with her now," Inuyasha said. Miroku raised an eyebrow. Inuyasha usually prided himself in getting into a girl's pants in the time it took to say, "Whoops."

"You're bragging about how you can kiss her now?" Miroku asked. "I thought you were going to brag about how you got into her bed." Inuyasha blew out a breath with gusto.

"Man… I'm not sure I _want _to get into this girl's bed… yet. I never thought working for it would be so enjoyable," Inuyasha said. "No wonder I get bored with other women so easily." Miroku noticed the red light blinking, and hit it.

"You're on 102.5 FM. Speak your mind," Miroku said.

"Well, this is Kiro, and I think you're in love with this girl." Inuyasha felt panic bloom in his chest, and he tried to hide it, shifting in his seat while scowling. Miroku smile behind his hand with a cough, looking upwards toward the ceiling.

"Me? In love? That doesn't exist, man," Inuyasha said, a hint of desperation in his voice. He hung up and laughed a strained laugh. Miroku's smile froze. Was Inuyasha, _the _Inuyasha, in love? With a mere slip of a girl that he had dated less than ten times?

"Jesus gracious, great balls of clouds in heaven," Miroku whispered. Inuyasha turned to him, annoyed.

"What?" he snapped.

"You… You're in—"

"Okay, time for a change in subject!" Inuyasha quickly cut in, giving Miroku a dirty glare. "Freakin' (beep)," Inuyasha muttered under his breath. "Who knows about Naraku?" The red light started blinking like it was having spasms.

"Wow." Miroku pushed a button. "All right. Speak."

"Now you're learning to keep it short and simple," Inuyasha said.

"This is Ryu. I definitely know about Naraku. I hate him! He took over my father's small, simple, neighborhood business and made it into his own!"

"Is your life better now?" Inuyasha asked.

"If you call my father committing suicide better," Ryu said bitterly. Inuyasha blinked.

"What exactly happened?" Inuyasha asked.

"Naraku took my father's business. It's not like my father can fight him in the court of law, with the amount of money in Naraku's pocket, so what could he do? Naraku threatened things… I can't prove any of it, so I won't say over the air, but… my father had no choice but to _give _the company to Naraku. Naraku gave us money, but my father put it into a savings account that I can't access until the age of thirty. Now I'm struggling to get through college, my father is dead, my mother is sick, and Naraku is still healthy and filthy rich, that (beep)," Ryu said viciously. Inuyasha sat back, silent.

"All right, thanks Ryu," Inuyasha said after a while.

"Yeah. No problem," Ryu said, and hung up.

"Hanyou? You all right?" Miroku asked.

"Of course," Inuyasha muttered while Miroku pushed the button again.

"I want to marry Naraku," said the new voice. "This is Ky, and I think he's the perfect guy. He has money, looks, and he seems so nice! Do you know how much money he donates to—"

"Do you know how much of that money is actually his?" Inuyasha retorted.

"Does it matter?" Ky huffed. "He's sexy."

"Right. So if a guy has money, good looks, he's Mr. Perfect?" Inuyasha asked.

"Isn't that Ms. Perfect for you, too?" Ky retorted. A picture of simple, average, beautiful, and smart Kagome flashed into Inuyasha's mind.

"As a matter of fact, it's not," Inuyasha said after a momentary pause.

"So Kikyou isn't rich or good-looking? Boy, what are you doing?" Ky asked scathingly.

"She's more of a person than you'll ever be," Inuyasha growled. He hit the hang up button. "Anyways…"

"A little more protective of Kikyou now, are we?" Miroku asked, his eyebrow raised. Inuyasha grunted, not even bothering with a denial. He was still thinking about what Ryu had said. So Naraku used threats and other methods to gain companies? He still paid afterwards, but probably not even half of the profit he got from the company. Would he start threatening Myouga that way? And since Kagome was a representative of the company, wouldn't Naraku target her as well?

The rest of the day was a blur, talking about Naraku for a little while, Inuyasha scathingly insulting Naraku again and again. What he didn't realize, what he forgot, was that word spread, especially if word was said from an influential radio show that practically everyone talked about.

* * *

"Oh my gosh, I can't believe he did that!" Kagome heard a girl say. "How can he talk about Naraku like that?" Kagome's attention was piqued. "People are going to go crazy." 

Did someone in the office say something about Naraku? Probably. He probably caused a ruckus or some other form of communication with his fellow workers. Stupid gits. They blabbed all day long without doing any work. She opened her office door, stuck her head out, and yelled, "Get back to work people, come on! We have a deadline by the end of this week!"

"Miss Kagome, is Naraku taking over this company?" One lady asked hesitantly. Kagome looked at her in confusion. How did they know Naraku was taking over the company? The only people that could have known were Myouga, Inuyasha, and herself.

"He's not doing any such thing to this company. Now if we get back to work, then we can meet the—"

"Kagome," said a voice from her neck. She slapped her neck again, automatically flattening Myouga.

"Sorry, Myouga. What is it?" she asked, going back into her office.

"Now that everyone knows about Naraku—"

"What punk opened his big trap?" Kagome growled. Myouga blinked, then remembered that his dear old grandson was keeping the biggest secret from Kagome. Did he dare induce Kagome's wrath, or Inuyasha's?

"Shoot," Myouga muttered. Kagome was looking at him expectantly. "Urh… Just a young one that was hired a couple of weeks ago. You know how they are. Full of fire and spit." Kagome nodded her head. So she was right after all.

Myouga breathed a sigh of relief. Kagome signed something after reading it and put it in a stack of papers that had already been read through.

"So how are things going between you and Inuyasha?" Myouga asked, false innocence radiating from him. Kagome narrowed her eyes as she shoved her pen point into Myouga's belly.

"I thought you were going to stay out of our business," Kagome said. Myouga shrugged.

"So I'm curious. You have to understand. I want Inuyasha to settle with someone that's _good _for him. I've seen the bimbos he's dated. Well, there _was _one girl. Her name was Kikyou," Myouga said thoughtfully, but then remembered about Inuyasha's secret. He sucked in a breath, then said, "I mean, Kiko."

"I've heard Kikyou somewhere," Kagome mumbled. Didn't she hear it from a fellow coworker at the coffee machine? Oh well. There were probably other people named Kikyou. Writing it off in her mind, she focused her attention on Myouga again.

"Uh-huh. What happened between them?" Kagome asked. Myouga donned a sour face.

"I thought she was perfect for him. He was so in love. But she broke up with him, saying that he betrayed her and slept with another woman," Myouga said. "Inuyasha was broken after that, and he kept on trying to contact her, telling her that whatever she had heard or seen was a lie, but she refused to see it. She died of old age before he could even go near her."

"That's so… horrible," Kagome said, her eyes wide. Myouga nodded gravely.

"Anyways, on to important matters. I see this thing you've signed…"

* * *

Inuyasha didn't know what was wrong with him. It was nearing sunset, and he had busted his ass to get to Kagome's workplace at the same time she got off work. He was downstairs near the front doors on his motorcycle. He couldn't seem to keep himself away. At first, a couple of days ago, it used to be Miroku's suggestion to come when they didn't _have _to see each other, but here he was, risking capture by the media. He usually brought his car so he would be less visible, but today he had chosen the cycle since he knew how much Kagome loved it. 

He was still sitting there, watching as some workers started pouring out. He saw Kagome between people. To him, it seemed as if the other people peeled off in different directions just so Kagome could be visible. She looked sexy in her suit, a coffee in one hand and a briefcase in the other.

"Hey!" he called. Kagome's head snapped up and she gaped when she saw him.

"What are you doing here again? Is there another problem?" Kagome asked worriedly. Inuyasha shook his head and beckoned her over. The worried expression was gone as soon as it was there. Inuyasha took off his helmet, and Kagome noticed more than one female eye go to the falling of silver liquid. And then the ears…

No!

Those ears were hers darn it!

"Why are you doing that?" Kagome snapped at Inuyasha. He looked startled.

"What? Doing what?" he asked. Kagome was mumbling something incoherent. "What?"

"Nothing!" Kagome snapped. "What are you doing here?" she asked, irritated. Inuyasha raised an eyebrow.

"Here to see you and take you out, but I guess if you're in a bad mood…" Kagome sighed.

"I'm fine. Take me on a ride, and I'll feel better," she said, running her pinky against the seat behind Inuyasha since her hand was full of coffee cup. Inuyasha chuckled.

"I knew you wouldn't be able to resist me," he said smugly. Kagome snatched her hand away as if the cycle was on fire.

"You wouldn't be able to _pay _me to get on your motorcycle now!" Kagome said indignantly, striding away to put her briefcase in the car. Inuyasha followed, his engine purring.

"Aw, come on babe. I was just kidding," Inuyasha said. Kagome sniffed and looked in the other direction. She put her briefcase in the backseat, and drank the rest of the coffee while she opened her front door. Inuyasha was behind her car, looking at her expectantly. She gave him a sour look. Let him stand behind her car. He would become Inuyasha-pancake. Yummy.

She was just starting to slide into the driver's seat when what he said next stopped her cold. Her butt was off the seat as soon as it was on it.

"I'll teach you how to ride my cycle," Inuyasha said slyly. Kagome was there in a flash, looking at him with a sparkle in her eyes. He couldn't resist giving her an affectionate nip on the lip. She didn't even care, her eyes bright with excitement. Inuyasha's own excitement—for a different reason—was starting to floor him.

"Will you really?" Kagome asked breathlessly, reaching for the extra helmet.

"Would I lie to you, wench?" Inuyasha growled, but had a smirk on his face. Kagome rolled her eyes, but opted for keeping her mouth shut and putting on the helmet. Inuyasha noticed the silence as his answer, and growled low in his throat. He stopped however, when her slim arms wrapped around his waist.

"Where are we gonna go to learn?" she asked. Inuyasha's minute anger was forgotten.

"The park. The place we went to the first time you rode on the cycle," Inuyasha said. Kagome smiled into his back.

"How romantic," she practically purred, and Inuyasha, who would normally feel appalled at the notion, only grinned and revved up, and peeled off.

When they arrived at the park, Kagome stood, watching as Inuyasha only slid back, his leg still propping up the big bike. Kagome sat in front of him, and Inuyasha placed her hands on the handles. "Since this is only your first lesson, you're only going to steer."

"But, Inuyasha--!" He thought he could see her pout, and couldn't help but press a reassuring kiss to her shoulder.

"You can try more tomorrow, but since it's already late now and it'll be dark soon, I don't think we should try anything really… dangerous," he said slowly. Kagome looked at him with astonishment.

"No danger? You? Are you serious?" she asked. She wavered a little, but otherwise did well with the steering while Inuyasha stepped lightly on the gas. Inuyasha suddenly put on a burst of speed, and Kagome's breath hitched, her eyes closing and her hands tightening on the handles. She felt the bike swerve, and she was scared for one deliriously frightening moment. However, when she felt Inuyasha's arms encase her in it's protective safety, she knew she could and would trust him with her life. That still didn't mean she wasn't scared. For him. She wanted to turn and cover _him _with _her _body, but she was frozen. When the bike stopped moving, and she was still atop it, she slowly opened her eyes.

That's when she heard Inuyasha laughing uproariously behind her. She leapt off the bike, tearing her helmet off. Inuyasha took one look at her and stopped laughing.

She had tears in her eyes.

Muttering a curse, he reached for her, but she walked away, her arms going around herself. Inuyasha took the key out of the ignition and propped the bike up by its stand.

"Kagome! I'm sorry! I just couldn't help it!" Inuyasha yelled after her, running to catch up to her brisk pace. Kagome refused to look at him, to respond to him. When Inuyasha reached her, his hand went to her shoulder. He winced as she flinched away from his touch.

"I can't believe you did that," Kagome whispered. "That was horrible. I was so scared, I couldn't even breathe. I thought you were going to die protecting me. And I was so much of a coward, I couldn't even—" Kagome's breath hitched and Inuyasha winced again as he smelled the salt of her tears.

"Kagome, don't cry," he murmured. "I'm really, really, _really _sorry. I thought you'd remember that my hands were still on the handlebars."

"It's not something you remember when you think you're going to swerve off and die in a ditch somewhere," Kagome hissed with venom at him. Inuyasha sighed.

"I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking." He drew her reluctant, shivering body into his arms. "I promise I won't do it again." He pressed a kiss to her temple, guilt washing over him in waves for causing her panic, her fear. "I wouldn't ever let you fall."

Kagome shoved against him, her fury spilling forth with her tears. "I wasn't afraid of _falling, _you jerk! I was afraid that _you _were going to _die _while trying to protect _me_!" Kagome yelled. Inuyasha struggled against yelling back, his first impulse. When people yelled at him, he just had to yell back. Still, this _was _his fault, so all he allowed was his ears to droop, and to look properly ashamed. Kagome sighed. "Let's just… go back to the building. I need to get my car."

"I'm sorry," Inuyasha repeated, not letting her go. Kagome gave him a withering look.

"I don't care. Let's go ba—" Kagome's sentence was cut off as Inuyasha's mouth touched hers tenderly. The quick-to-burn fire was there, but it was simmering, sending out pleasant waves throughout her body. It wasn't all-consuming, but it was all-captivating. Both their eyes were open slightly, watching emotions change the other's eyes to an opaque brown or a swirling amber.

He traced the shape of her lips with his tongue, then rubbed his lips against hers, and kept eye contact with her. He didn't know where this softness, this lightness was coming from. He had plucked this tenderness from deep inside, since it seemed fitting after giving her a big enough scare to make her cry. Kagome's hands clenched at his sides into his jacket, and she lifted herself onto her toes, deepening the kiss herself.

Just like that, Inuyasha had taken the dominant position, tilting her head back and plundering her mouth like a starved man. Her neck weakened by the assailing emotions, her head went back as his mouth went to the smooth column of her neck. His lips trailed smooth skin, and he grasped the junction between her shoulder and her neck lightly between his teeth. Kagome's knees buckled and she gasped as her legs couldn't hold her weight any longer. It didn't seem to matter as Inuyasha gathered her up against him.

His tongue went over the junction, and he settled his mouth over it, sucking strongly. Kagome made a small choking sound, and tilted her head to the side. Heat sparks were shooting up and down her body, from head to toe, warming her despite the cold weather. Inuyasha was hot, and he kept her warm.

God, did he keep her warm.

Suddenly, Kagome was standing alone in the cold air with her eyes still half-closed.

Inuyasha was standing a small distance away, and she could see the small shudders that wracked through him. A large part of her gave a cry of triumph that she could weaken him as much as he could weaken her. Inuyasha's look was feral, the amber in his eyes blazing with the heat he felt.

Kagome wrapped her arms around herself, feeling definitely chilled in the crisp weather.

"You're going to make me forget we're in a public place one day," Inuyasha growled, and Kagome felt heated again as his gaze raked down the length of her. Kagome gulped, wondering if she could hold out much longer against him, since she seemed to want what he did as much, if not more, than he did. Inuyasha gave a shaky laugh, then gestured toward his bike. Kagome obediently went, putting on the helmet again. Inuyasha got on in front of her, putting on his helmet again as well. He had taken it off when she had run off after his stupid stunt. Kagome wrapped her arms around him, breathing his own scent in.

Inuyasha drove out of the park, grateful that the wind kept Kagome's scent away from him. That uncomplicated, heady, womanly scent she exuded was more of an aphrodisiac than those disgusting, heavy perfumes women often wore.

He was not exaggerating when he said he had nearly forgotten where he was. The only thing that had brought him back was when a squirrel had shot across the grass behind Kagome. The quick, sharp movement had him pushing away from her, thankfully. He didn't know what the squirrel was doing at sunset in the cold. It would start to hibernate soon, and it was probably just getting the last of the chestnuts.

Thank God.

When he arrived at her house, he kept his hands in his pockets after taking off his helmet. Kagome looked at him. Inuyasha yelped and jumped as Kagome pinched him. He tore off his helmet and glowered at her.

"What?" he yelled, rubbing his side where her fingers had dug in.

"You were supposed to take me to the building so I could get my car, you jerk!" she yelled back.

"Well, it's too late to do that now, and I'm tired," Inuyasha said slyly with a strategic yawn. He strode into her house while she sputtered and ran after him after she took the helmet off.

"You're not sleeping here," Kagome said darkly, closing the door shut behind her. Inuyasha shrugged, going to her sofa to relax and watch some television. Kagome made a frustrated sound in her throat. "Inuyasha!"

"Don't whine, wench. It makes you sound screechy and it hurts my ears," he said sleepily from the couch. There was no sound, no retort from her. He looked over the back of the couch to see that she was gone. His heart jumped into his throat, and he tried to calm himself. "Oi! Kagome!" Inuyasha yelled. Kagome came out of the dark kitchen, holding a cup of water.

"What?" she snapped. Inuyasha breathed a sigh of relief, but growled at her.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Inuyasha yelled. Kagome was instantly incensed, and with no thought for her couch, she stomped over and poured the ice water over his head.

He yelped and shook the water out of his air while Kagome doubled over, laughing.

"What the fuck was that for, and why are you laughing?" Inuyasha snarled.

"You shake yourself off just like a dog!" Kagome laughed, holding her stomach tightly. Inuyasha snorted, his face becoming red.

Kagome's laughter stopped abruptly as Inuyasha was suddenly there, pulling her head back by her hair and kissing her. When he pulled away, they were both breathing much more heavily, and it wasn't because of laughter.

"What was that for? For laughing at you?" Kagome asked, blinking owlishly at him. Inuyasha's face turned red again, and he turned away.

"Keh. No. It was a way to shut you up," Inuyasha said. Kagome sighed.

"Listen. I know you don't want to sleep on the couch, and I'm not letting you anywhere near my bed because that's just stupid of me, and I need a ride to work tomorrow. I can call Eri, Ayumi, or Yuka, so don't worry about that and go home," Kagome said.

"Covered all the bases, I see," Inuyasha said, rubbing his damp ear. "But I'm not leaving. And you can't budge me. I decided that I could sacrifice my ramen. Besides, I hid them." Kagome scowled at him. "Oh, and I don't mind sleeping on the couch. Just give me one of your pillows and I should be fine."

Kagome stood there, her hands planted on her hips. "Out, 'Yasha," Kagome growled. Inuyasha shook his head, burrowing deeper into her wet couch. "I want to watch TV, drat it, and I can't do it with you sitting there!" Inuyasha moved his legs off the couch to give her space to sit down, and gave her an innocent look. "Okay, why are you being so stubborn tonight? You usually balk at the idea of sleeping on the couch."

"Usually? You only mentioned it to me once," Inuyasha pointed out.

"Yeah, but your reaction was strong enough to assume that you don't like—"

"You know what they say about 'assume'," Inuyasha said, laughing at the look of disdain on Kagome's face.

"Whatever," Kagome said, going to sit down on the bare space that he left for her. As soon as she sat down, he propped his legs in her lap, and she looked incredulously down at his jean-clad legs. "Do I look like a footrest to you?" she hissed at him. He ignored her. She tried to shove off his legs, but he exerted enough force to keep them there. "Move!" He ignored her again.

"Oh, look," he said blandly. "It's Aladdin." Kagome's head snapped up, sitting back reluctantly to watch another great Disney movie.

After the movie, Kagome was asleep, draped against the arm of the sofa, her hands underneath her head. He hadn't even noticed that she went to sleep, his attention on the movie. Now he looked at her, and grinned. She was going to be _so _cramped up tomorrow. He frowned as the wetness at his back was still there. He grinned again as he thought of an idea.

He got up, carefully removing his legs from her lap, then arranged her body so she was more comfortably curled up on the couch. Yawning, he went towards her bedroom to get some shut-eye. This was a good way to spend the night, the day before Ayame came.

* * *

**wk: **Well... Chapter 8. Sorry it took so long to come out. I've been busy lately. Like, _really _busy. School's just killing me these days. Agh! Save me! School is the devil... Well, anyways, here's the**_ReViEw oF rEvIeWs_**. 

**_ReViEw oF rEvIeWs_**:

Thanks **Gittelbug**! Sorry you had to wait so long. (Grimaces)

Actually, **emerald ash**, I _was _about to talk about the presidential election, but I took so long to update that it just didn't seem to coincide. Thank you for the idea though! Maybe I'll talk about the results of the presidential election next...

Thank you, **Amunett**! I'm not sure it gets _better _with each chapter, but then I'm biased. Thanks for keeping tabs on this story, and thanks for reading it! Sorry you had to wait so long...!!

Well, **Linkin Park's Fan**, I'm sure that you _think _that you can't write. I thought so too at first, but I think I write decently now. Of course, I still have a long way to go, but... Eh, I think it's okay. Thanks so much for reading!

Haha, with your "10" reviews, I got 56 reviews, **abstract x heart**! I know that if I was offered 10 million dollars, I would probably jump on it, but the company has a personal meaning to Inuyasha and the rest of the corporate people. So did you think of topics? Hehe... I think I gave you a little more than a _couple _of days. I mean, it took me _weeks _just to update this short little chapter. I'm honored that the longest review you've ever written was for me! Thanks so much for reading my story, and I hope you continue to do so! Good luck with your own story as well!

Well, **Reversed**, I haven't gotten to Kagome's mother yet (I should have), but I will. Honestly,I forgot about Kagome's mother, and I didn't want to take any more time on this itty bitty chapter. So I'm lazy... (Sighs) Well, keep on reading my story and thanks for your review!

Well, **inulova4lyfe**, I mean topics that people who call in can bring up. And then Inuyasha can talk about it. If you have any ideas, let me know! And yes, Naraku is evil. He's a bit sadistic. Thanks for reviewing!

I always found Kougaa little annoying, although the competition between him and Inuyasha never fails to amuse me. And yeah... hehe, Inuyasha _always _does things on purpose. And for your information... I don't know how I do it either. (Sweatdrops) I just write what comes up in my head. I hope the wait has been worthwhile this time. I know I take a long time to update, and I apologize. I mean, I know that you don't care, **Esther Tan**, but I feel like my readers wait, and wait, and wait... I mean, I know what it's like to wait for a new chapter to come out in a story that I really like. And yes, I'm going to introduce Sesshoumaru... someday. (Sighs) I still haven't come around to it, but I will! I promise! Anyways, I know what I'm going to do with Sesshoumaru. You'll see. You can tell me if you like it later, but I know _exactly _how I'm going to introduce Sesshoumaru. Hehe... Well, I'm glad you can talk to me. I would hope I'm easy to talk to. Thank you for reviewing!

Haha... Well, **inuyashasfavegirl**, I can't think of one either! We must all unite our heads together! Thank you for reading!!

Thanks, **Iced Faerie**! I think _you're _grrreat!

Dammit! Man, **Kiala**, I was _so _going to do your idea, but by the time I finished the chapter and realized I didn't write _one _thing about Kouga, I beat myself up! I'll have to think a way to sneak him in the next chapter.

Well, **binab86**, I know how I'm going to introduce Sesshoumaru, like I told **Esther Tan**. I tried to put more romance and humor between Inuyasha and Kagome though. Is it better? Thanks for your review!

Hehe, thanks, **Forbidden Miko**! And I hope it's getting more thick. I meant it to. (Smiles) Sorry I didn't update soon, though. (Sighs) School is _killing _me. Keep on reading and thanks for the review!

Sorry it's taking me sooooo freakin' long, **Inuyasha's-1-and-only-lov**. (Grimaces) I've been trying to hurry, but... (Sighs) School just sucks, as I'm sure you know. Well anyway, thanks for keeping up with the story! Sorry it took me so long to update!

Hehe, sorry **Kombat-King**. I _will _eventually heat it up between Sango and Miroku. As for Inuyasha talking about Kikyou, I don't think someone so solitary would talk about his painful relationships to strangers. Now, he was _bragging _about Kagome earlier. (Sighs) I did talk about Kikyou with Kagome and Myouga though. I hope that cleared it up for you. Thanks for your review and constructive criticism! Lovin' it!

I was really going to do the Bush vs. Kerry bash, but then I thought it a moot point since I updated so late. I apologize, **silentslayer**!

Thanks so much for the compliments, **Sunrider22**! This story just loves you, you, you, YOU! Unfortunately, I took _forever _trying to get this chapter out. I apologize to you a million times and more. And I _am _going to use your idea, but I'm going to use it later... I have a plan. Mwahaha...! And don't thank me for writing this story. _I _thank _you _for reading this story.

Hehe, thanks **Mini Nicka**! Personally, I think my readers are more fun, but what the hell do I know? Hehe... (Grins)

Sorry, ! I meant to update a LOT sooner, but I've been bogged down with school and work. I'll try to get the next one out sooner, I promise!

Hehe, too late for not embarrassing myself, **Corner Girl**. And not because of anything you said either. I just embarrass myself everyday. (Grimaces) Thanks so much for keeping up with this story! And I _do _know that 10 million dollars is _nothing _compared to what Bill Gates has, but I think was temporarily... well... stupid. Okay, so maybe not temporarily, but I was even more stupid than usual at that moment. I realized it right after I submitted the chapter, but I'm also a lazy butt. I'll edit this story after I'm finished with it. Until then, we're going to pretend that 10 million dollars is a LOT of money. And don't worry! You didn't offend me _at all_. I appreciate SO MUCH that you had the courtesy to point it out to me. You're not being mean, just informative. I appreciate it _greatly_, and I would _love love love love _LOVE it if you tell me anything else you find wrong with the story. Thanks so much again!

I understand how you feel, **Miztical Dragon**. I'm quite fond of my name now. I'm not sure what I would do if I lost it. Hehe, maybe, hopefully, this one made you all bouncy too. I updated realllyyy late, didn't I? (Sighs) Sorry! And _haha_, I _always _make fun of Dr. Phil. Maybe I'll have a "Dr. Phil session" in the next chapter. Thanks so much!

Haha, well, **Why?What?Shutup**, that's why Kagome said no. Inuyasha's items were tempting, but just not enough, I'm afraid.

Haha, lots of people seemed to like where Inuyasha punched Kouga, **Wheezambu**. I think it's because I made Kouga an annoying, chauvinistic ass. And yeah, ramen is his weakness. For now, anyway. Mwaha.

Um... I don't know how many chapters it's going to have, **Songa**, because I write spontaneously, and _none _of this story is planned. And I won't stop, although I _have _been delayed for a long period of time... Sorry! Thank you for reading!

Haha, what a _great _idea, **Obsessive Starchaser**! Tell me a name you would like (Preferably in Japanese), and I will put you in a show. Write what you want to say, and all that good stuff. I'll wait for your review!

Sorry, **Daddy's Pixie**. I would _like _to be done with this story as soon as I can so you can read it, but unfortunately, life sucks. School, in particular, sucks. God, I'm SO FRIGGIN' honored that you put my fic over your boyfriend! That is absolutely... amazing! I know that I would have gone to the movies, probably... (Sighs) I'm afraid sitting in my house just... doesn't cut it for me anymore. Are you still grounded? You should be off grounding by now, since... well... I've been gone for a _long _time. Well, I look forward to reading your next review, and thank you for loving my fic so much!

(Sighs) I'm _so _sorry, **hanyou punk chick**. I'm sorry that I updated so late. Forgive and forget? Maybe? And don't worry about being insane. I've been called insane and a lot worse before. (Grins) For a reason, too.

Yeah, Inu stays in this chapter, but I think I liked it that they're taking things a little more slower than in my other fic, "Neighborly Love". And I'm definitely going to use some of your ideas in the next chapter! If I don't, you have permission to kill me... or just maim me, **drake220**. And I could've shot Bush myself. Assassination attempt!! And I'll definitely consider your idea of critiquing strippers' physiques. And I would have _so _used your mentally handicapped- should they vote? topic, but like I said... I updated so late that writing about the election as if it was _about _to happen is just a moot point. MAN. I should've updated _so _much sooner... If only it wasn't for school!

Hehe, thanks, **MichiruAOZ**. I personally like this chapter better than the last chapter, but... eh, what can you do?

This fic has much love for you, **Xx tickle me ElmoXx**! Thanks for reading! (Smiles)

Hope you didn't look forward to more too long, **shaid**.Sorry it took me so long!

I'm sorry! I didn't know you were in the reviews! My computer must have glitched on me, **o0 DaRkNeSsEz PuRiTy 0o**! I'm soooo sorry! This is me, making up to you! And don't worry, the love is still here!

Sorry it took so long, **PeachesDani**! As I've said _many _times before, school just sucks. I mean, SUCKS. And so does DSL! My computer keeps on shutting down on me. I think I might have gotten a virus. (Sighs) My life is filled with technological problems these days.

Hehe, sorry... I know the summary is poorly written, **Shizuka Kaze**, but you have no idea how happy I am that you decided to read my story! It makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside.

Sorry it took so long, **Disoriented Mind**! (Sighs) I just can't seem to be able to write as regularly as I used to. Shame on me!

I'm seriously considering your idea, **AngelOfDiamonds**. And I'm sorry I updated so late! Hopefully, you didn't wait too long for this chapter... (Winces)

Hehe, yeah... I would _have _to talk about Naraku eventually, and I forgot to put the part that you wrote about... the part where Naraku loses business because our dear Inu bad mouthes the company. Now,I _did _do gay rights, and I do believe I _am _going to do stem cell research. Yay! Thank so much, **Lola-Gurl**!

Sorry, **Oyuki**! I need to pull my head out of my ass and get a move on with this story, but I've been so occupied with school and all... I'm sorry!!

I did legalizing marijuana, which I am grateful for, by the way, and thank you for liking my story! It's always _really _good if you get a picky reader interested in your story. It means you're making improvements in your writing, right, **Skycat3**? Or am I assuming too much? Bah. Anyway, thanks so much again!

Sorry it took me so long to give you more, **skitzoid**!

They might be a little longer than usual, but I'm afraid that I took such a long time this time... And I have to _really really _apologize for that. Thank you for reading my story though, **X0Xsakura-princessx0x**!

My computer broke down on me too, **melissa**! But don't worry about reviewing. As long as you read my story, I'm happily content. Hehe, thank you for you compliments, for your reviews, and your time taken to read this story!

Hehe, thanks, **azn-anime-anjel**. Sorry it took so long to update!

I'm not sure about the flowing, but thank you for your compliments!!! I'm so ecstatic. When I first started this story, I didn't think it would do so well with the readers. It was just an idea that I thought I would try out. And yeah, I didn't know how to take Kouga out of the story, and I thought about Ayame, and I didn't know how to put her _in _the story without making it really obvious so... Well, it was thought out of the blue. Thanks so much for reading, **Leni**, and thank you for your compliments again!

Sorry it took so long to update, **pouty**! (Grimaces) I haven't been able to write as much as I used to. I'll try to get the next one out sooner, I promise!

Thank you,** Azmidiske**! When I have time, I will definitely go check out "Club Blue". Thanks for reading the story, and I _do _hope that it _is _good entertainment. Thanks!

Which one was the pen situation, **Yabou**? Do you remember what chapter it was in? I'm afraid I don't even know my own story that well. (Sighs and grimaces) I guess I just need to... uh... read it? Haha... Anyways, thanks for reading!

**wk**: Okay, that's it for **_ReViEw oF rEvIeWs_**. Thanks guys! I promise I'll try to get the next chapter out sooner!


	9. Accidentally in Love

**Disclaimer**: Not mineeee...!

**wk**: Wow! **217 reviews**! I am so honored! I hit **200**! And _passed _it! Mwaha... Oh, and for you guys that read "Neighborly Love", it's probably officially on hiatus now. I'm thinking about editing it, because my writing has improved a lot since I started that story, and looking over, I was kind of unsatisfied with my work. So until the rewriting of it is done, you guys might be waiting a while. _This _story, however, I will try to update regularly. I was actually going to update a lot sooner, but the chapter I had was... very different, a lot shorter, and I just didn't like how it turned out. So I rewrote it, and this was the result. Thanks for sticking with this one, and tell me if you see any problems and such. Thanks!

**Chapter Nine  
Accidentally in Love**

Kagome groaned as she got up. She looked around for a moment, wondering where in the heck she was. She was cold, too. She was shaking so bad her teeth were clanging together. Her feet were cold. And wet. She sneezed.

"What the…" Memory came rushing back to her, and the cold in her bones was forgotten. "Darn it! Inuyasha! If you're not gone from this house, I swear I'll rip all the little hairs off of your body and paste them on to your face!"

"You know, you come up with the weirdest threats," A voice murmured from her bedroom. Kagome gaped at her door. She strode over, opened it, and saw the warm little bundle of joy beneath her blanket. Her warm, _dry _blanket.

Kagome stomped over, ripped the blanket from him, and wrapped it around herself. Inuyasha scowled at her, trying to pull the blanket back. "It's cold, dammit. Don't you turn on your heater? It's almost winter! Speaking of, you sound a bit sick."

"You can go eat poo and die," Kagome hissed, jerking the blanket out of his grasp. Inuyasha shrugged, snuggling into _her _bed and _her _pillow. With a sound of utter frustration and irritation, she brought her foot up, and kicked him in the backside.

"What the hell was that for, bitch?" Inuyasha yelled, rubbing the aforementioned backside.

"You know as much as I what that was for!" Kagome yelled back, heading in the direction of the living room again. She sneezed, and sneezed again.

"Oh hell… Are you really sick?" Inuyasha asked with worry from _her _bed.

"What's it matter to you?" Kagome retorted, going out the door. She was about to plop down on the couch again, but squeaked when she was swept up, blanket and all. She looked up to see Inuyasha's concerned face. On a normal day, that concern would have warmed her. Today, after he had left her on a wet couch roughly at the end of fall with no blanket or anything, and slept in _her _bed… She was going to slap him.

The blanket proved to be her downfall. She struggled against him, but the blanket wrapped around her like a tight cocoon limited movement, and her arms were trapped inside, unable to hit him for the grievances that he had caused her.

"Let me down!" she screeched, and saw him wince. She felt smug about it, and screeched again.

"Stop that, woman!" Inuyasha yelled.

"Don't tell me what to do!" Kagome yelled back. "I don't think you—Ah!" Kagome screamed hoarsely as suddenly she was flying through the air, the blanket loosening around her flailing limbs. She landed on the bed, and her breath came out in a whoosh. She managed to suck in a quick breath again before a pillow smacked her in the face. "What the—"

"Well, duchess, I think you should be warm now," Inuyasha said gruffly. He felt guilty that she was sick. She obviously didn't believe in turning on heaters when it got cold. Or until it got _really _cold.

"You are such a—"

"Now, now… Let's not ruin your no cussing thing," Inuyasha interrupted. Kagome fumed on the bed, pulling the blanket tighter around her. She glanced at the clock, blanched and sprang up. He shoved her back down on the bed, his hands pushing her down by the shoulders.

"Let me go! I have to go to work! I am _so _late! If it wasn't for you, I would be—"

"You're not going anywhere, sweetheart," Inuyasha said grimly. She stilled, staring at him in disbelief.

"Where did this _concern _come from? You leave me on a wet couch and get me sick, and _now _you're feeling guilty about it?" she started to struggle anew, muttering "jerk" under her breath.

"Yes, dammit, so hold still! You're not going to work today!" Inuyasha said. Kagome glared at him.

"Do you know how much I have to do today? Not to mention that _you _have to go to work, too? You can't safeguard me!" Kagome said triumphantly.

"Actually, I got work off today," Inuyasha said smugly. Kagome gaped at him, then narrowed her eyes at him.

"You're bluffing," she hissed.

"I kid you not. You can call them yourself," Inuyasha retorted, but then a look of panic flitted across his face. If she called and they accidentally told her what his job was…

"I saw that look! I saw that look! What's their number? What's their number?" Kagome asked excitedly, squirming energetically under his hands. She had read his panic, but didn't understand the reason behind it.

"That's not the point! I _did _get off of work today, but I did it to go pick up my niece today!" Inuyasha said.

"Your niece? Ayame, right?" Kagome asked, smiling. Inuyasha nodded. Kagome grinned. "That still means you have to leave me here to get to the airport. And guess where _I'll _be," Kagome said. Inuyasha sighed. He lifted his hands from her shoulders.

"I guess I have no choice but to call your mother and—"

The color left Kagome's face, and she hissed, "You're _blackmailing _me again!" Inuyasha nodded grimly.

"I'm afraid so. So do what I say, or… Mommy dearest will have _both _our hides for dinner," Inuyasha said. Deflated, Kagome sank into the bed, putting the pillow he had thrown onto her face below her head.

"You're so evil," Kagome muttered, and sneezed. Inuyasha shrugged unconcernedly.

"Whatever works," he said. "I'll call Myouga and tell him." He watched as Kagome's eyelids lowered from fatigue and sickness, and he found himself still staring at her long after she fell asleep. Visibly shaking himself, he went to the kitchen and used the cord phone to call Myouga. He explained everything, and listened to Myouga's scolding before hanging up on the old flea.

He didn't have to pick Ayame up until eight, something he didn't tell Kagome since he was having fun wheedling her. Kagome ended work at five or five-thirty.

He watched TV for a while, but found himself glancing at the bedroom door. Sighing, he gave up trying to stay away, and went to her bedroom to gaze down at her again. Pulling her hair to one side, behind her ear, he sat next to her. Even though she was sick as a dog (he winced at the pun), she had quite the temper tantrum. He lied down next to her, nearly falling off the bed in surprise when she instinctively turned toward his warmth.

She snuggled against him, burying her nose against his shirt, breathing deeply and settling. Inuyasha's arm settled around her waist, marveling at how _right _this could feel. Whenever he had a fling or an affair with other women, he had never _slept _with them. He had sex with them, sure, but sleeping was out of the question. Solitary in nature, he didn't trust even the women he slept with to let them be near him unguarded.

Kagome, however, had managed to get under his wall, over it, around it… it didn't really matter how she did it, just that she was there now. "You stupid bitch. You should have run when you had the chance." Kagome gave no response, her breathing still deep with sleep. He heard the rattle in her breath, knew it resulted from her cold or whatever she had. He absentmindedly traced her features, committing them to memory. He wondered how she was going to react when he told her that he had been deceiving her. Wincing, he shook his head. He didn't think he could do it, and lose what they had. Rationally, he knew he should. But who knew Inuyasha for being rational?

"Dammit," he whispered. When did lustful longing become painful loving? He didn't know, nor did he care. With her wit, charm, her earthiness, she had brought him to his knees and didn't even realize it. "Son of a bitch." He buried his face into her hair, moving his mouth against her tresses and kissing her temple. To his astonishment, he realized he was trembling. The realization had hit him hard. Forcing himself to stop trembling, he got up from the bed, going into her bathroom.

He had to tell her. About the radio. About everything. He would stop the "Kikyou Shows". He had seen those sappy movies, where the boy deceives the girl, the girl slaps the boy, girl goes home, cries, then forgives and forgets. He didn't understand how that worked in real life, but he sure as hell hoped that would happen for him. With a woman like Kagome though, all fiery with a bad temper, he would be lucky if she just ended up slapping him. He would have to do some major ass kissing.

Kagome would be so angry. She would never forgive him. She wouldn't even want to _be _with him. Hell, before he had blackmailed her into it, she didn't even want to _see _him again, nonetheless _date _him. That thought made him pause in his determination to tell her. At first, she hadn't even liked him in the least. Hell, she still didn't, despite the attraction between them. If he admitted to what he'd been doing, she would cut all ties with him in a snap of a finger. Groaning, Inuyasha lowered his head into his hands, looking at himself in the mirror through his fingers.

"I can't tell her… She'll _never _forgive me!" Inuyasha said in despair to himself, and his hands came down to clench at his sides. His head whipped around when he heard a rustle behind him.

"What are you muttering to yourself about?" Kagome asked, rubbing her eyes. She started to push him out of the bathroom.

"Nothing and—what the hell are you doing?" Inuyasha asked, digging his heels in. Kagome gave him a dirty look.

"I have to pee, so if you don't mind—!" Kagome shut the door on him, and he chuckled as he made his way to the bed. He sat down heavily, stroking the silk sheet covering the mattress. He had fallen asleep like a babe in his mother's arms. Bathed in Kagome's scent, he had slept the best he had in years.

"You are such a butt hole," Kagome said, emerging from the bathroom, brushing her teeth.

"Thanks for noticing," Inuyasha said wryly as Kagome returned to the bathroom. He heard the not-so-pretty sound of her spitting, rinsing, and gurgling. Lord, he even found _that _attractive. "Kagome, dear, you sound like a wild boar," Inuyasha commented lazily from the bed. Suddenly, she was there, leaning over him and smiling.

"And you, Inuyasha, _smell _like a wild boar," Kagome said sweetly before mashing her pillow into his face. Before he could retaliate, she was walking away, the sheet still around her form. Inuyasha blew the mussed up hair out of his face while watching her look back over her shoulder at him in a condescending manner before slipping out to the living room. God just had to make him fall in love with such a troublesome woman. Sighing he followed her out, frowning when she sneezed.

He went to the kitchen, looking through her cabinets. "What are you looking for?" Kagome's congested voice came from her living room.

"Your medicines," Inuyasha replied, opening and closing more doors.

"You're looking for medicines in the _kitchen_?" Kagome asked incredulously. Inuyasha strode out, scowling.

"That's where _I _keep _my _medicines," Inuyasha said huffily.

"Well, _I _keep _my _medicine in the bathroom cabinet, behind the small mirror on the wall," Kagome said. Inuyasha followed her directions, and indeed, found it crammed with… medicines and feminine items. Making sure his hand didn't touch any… cootie-ridden box, he found the cold medicine. He went back out, gave it to Kagome, returned it to its original spot, then sat next to Kagome.

"Aw, you're babying me," Kagome said, laying her head heavily on his shoulder.

"Keh. Babying would imply a _smaller _subject," Inuyasha retorted, the color rising in his cheeks. Kagome huffed, lifting her head and glaring at him.

"Did you just call me _fat_?" Kagome asked, her voice low and dangerous. Inuyasha blanched, then exploded.

"What in the _hell _did I say to make you think _that_?" Inuyasha yelled. Kagome was instantly incensed.

"You said 'smaller subjects'!" Kagome yelled back.

"Yeah, 'smaller' as in _size_!"

"So you _were _calling me fat!"

"Wench, you need to get your head on straight!"

"It _is _on straight!"

"Could've fooled me!"

"_You're _the one that called me _fat_!"

"For the last time—"

The doorbell rang, and they both broke off from their argument, both flushed. Kagome went to open it, and discovered Shippo, looking down at his feet shyly. Kagome looked at him quizzically, her entire demeanor changed.

"Shippo, you know you can come in anytime," Kagome said gently.

"I just heard someone yelling, and you yelling…" Shippo gently scuffed his shoe against the ground. Kagome smiled, and pulled the youngster in.

"That was just Inuyasha. He's loud," Kagome said.

"Who the hell is that?" Inuyasha asked, narrow-eyed at the small fox-demon. He hid behind Kagome's pants leg, peering up at him. Inuyasha snorted. "Bitch, you've got yourself a little, soft furball in your hands."

"Don't call Kagome a… a… whatever!" Shippo said, coming out from behind Kagome to twitter angrily at the hanyou. Inuyasha, surprised, suddenly moved. His hand darted out grabbing Shippo by the tail. Shippo tried to fight him, his little paws swiping out, too little to do damage. Kagome cuffed Inuyasha upside the head, making him yelp and drop Shippo.

"What the hell was that for?" Inuyasha yelled, and Kagome put her hands on her hips, the sheet around her slipping.

"That was for hurting Shippo!" Kagome said. Inuyasha snorted.

"Wench, that kid does not have a _mark _on him," Inuyasha said. Kagome rolled her eyes, picking Shippo up protectively. She tickled Shippo's nose, and then asked him if he was all right. He gave Kagome the affirmative, and Inuyasha felt a kick in his gut as he watched them. She would make a great mother.

"My foster family decided to keep me longer," Shippo said. "They changed their mind about me, ever since I saved my 'brother' from a bunch of bullies at school. They had knives, and they wanted to hurt him, but they I fox-fired them and they all went running," Shippo said proudly, his chest puffing out. "I got them expelled, too!"

"Well, aren't you the brave little thing," Kagome cooed, and Inuyasha sat back, his eyes heavy-lidded. "And it's great about your family."

"I know," Shippo said, then made some excuse to go play on the Playstation 2 she had.

Inuyasha watched the child disappear into the spare bedroom, then turned to Kagome. "I've never seen you with children before, despite the fact that you leave the door for all the children to pour in and out. I've always smelled them in here, but never seen you interact with them," Inuyasha said softly. Kagome shrugged.

"So I like children," Kagome said nonchalantly, sitting beside Inuyasha again.

"Do you want some?" Inuyasha asked, looking anywhere but at her. Kagome gaped at him.

"Are you… Are you _offering_?" Kagome's question ended in a squeak. Inuyasha whipped his head around to look at her, his cheeks burning.

"No!" he said indignantly. "I was just wondering."

"Oh. Well, yes, I suppose so. One day," Kagome said in a musing manner.

"I want pups. Lots of 'em," Inuyasha admitted hesitantly, then saw Kagome's shocked expression. He scowled. "I want kids, too, you know. I'm normal."

"Yes, but… I never thought you were _normal_," Kagome said. Inuyasha blushed again, muttering "Nosy bitch," under his breath. Kagome heard, and started to retort, when she got a sly idea.

Slinking, stretching, she put her head on his shoulder, looking up at him with wide eyes. He smiled down at her, his eyes narrowing with intent. She moved her lips close to his, not touching, not even brushing, only breathing. Inuyasha didn't close the distance, just waited. Kagome wondered what she was doing. She had meant to punish him, but now she was caught by the spell, too. _Stupid_! She thought to herself.

She kissed him on the nose and sprang up, not trusting herself. Before she could run away, which was what she was about to do, Inuyasha's hand shot out with the same speed that it had caught Shippo, and snagged her wrist. He tugged and she fell back against him. Her breath snagged and held, as his teeth closed at the junction between her neck and shoulder.

"Inuyasha… Shippo's just in the other…" Kagome closed her eyes weakly and sank against him as she felt his tongue move over the skin that he had gathered in his mouth.

Momentarily removing his mouth, he said, "Your room has a lock on the door, doesn't it?"

"Mm hm…" Kagome murmured, not realizing the significance of his statement as his mouth moved again. His arm was locked around her waist, pressing her against him and making her realize just how "urgent" his situation was, but the other hand was on her back, on the cluster of nerves, exquisitely sensitive to his touch.

He got up, his hold still on her, and he turned her, his mouth meeting hers. She was all fire, flashing and burning. He only hoped he wouldn't end up with burns that would incapacitate him for life. He started to walk her backwards towards her bedroom, his hand still on her back.

"Ew!" Kagome tore away from Inuyasha, whirling to see Shippo. Shippo had his tongue out, his face scrunched up in disgust.

"Inuyasha, don't you know that girls have _cooties_?" Shippo asked, horrified that one of the loyal males had turned on him.

Inuyasha nipped Kagome's lip, even as she tried to dodge him, and said to Shippo smugly, "Yeah, but they taste so good."

Kagome sneezed and muttered, "I hope you get sick."

"I've never been sick my whole life," Inuyasha said amusedly. Kagome scowled.

"Do they really?" Shippo asked. "Kagome, I want a taste!" Kagome coughed, and Inuyasha laughed uproariously.

"Go find you own girl to taste, Shippo," Inuyasha said. Kagome looked affronted, turning to tell Shippo differently. Inuyasha used the arm around her waist to pull her up against him again. Her back to his chest and startled, she closed her mouth.

Shippo crawled onto the couch, much to Inuyasha's chagrin.

"Kid, when you goin' home?" Inuyasha asked. Shippo shrugged.

"Later, I guess," Shippo said. Sighing in defeat, Inuyasha sat on the one-seater couch, pulling Kagome down with him. Kagome fell into his lap, glaring at him over her shoulder. Inuyasha grinned, brining up a finger to trace a circle on the small of her back. He watched her eyes go opaque, and she tried to shoot up, but his arm around her waist didn't relent. He groaned as her struggling had… effects.

"What are you guys doing?" Shippo's innocent, lilting question drifted to them, and Kagome flushed furiously as Inuyasha grinned.

"Nothing, Shippo," Kagome said in a high voice. Shippo shook his head, turning the TV on.

Inuyasha continued to tease her through the day, and would have laughed if he hadn't worked himself up as well. Shippo went home at seven, and thanked Kagome for letting him stay.

Inuyasha had Kagome pushed up against the wall as soon as that front door closed. She didn't protest, practically attacking him, her hands finding their way inside his shirt to rest against his chest. His own hands went into her shirt, to her back where he pressed her against him. Their kiss was hungry and deep, plundering. Out of the corner of his eye, Inuyasha saw the clock and he tore away from her. Panting, she held herself up against the wall, bewildered.

"I can't do this right now," he said in a strained tone. She stared at him, disbelief written over her face.

"Say what?" she asked, incredulous.

"I have to go pick up my niece," Inuyasha said, keeping his distance from her. Kagome groaned.

"You _tease_! I'm finally ready to… to… Well you know! And you decided that… Aargh!" she yelled, the color flaring in her face. Inuyasha was beyond tempted to stay, but he had promised Ayame to meet her at the airport. Inuyasha walked to her, pulling her against him again and kissing her quick and hard. She trembled in his arms, and he relished the power to make this strong woman shake.

"Next time, nothing will stop us," Inuyasha promised huskily. Kagome blew disheveled hair out of the way, and looked up at him. She nodded then rose on her toes to press a chaste kiss to his chin. He gave a derisive snort, obviously not impressed.

"That's all I can trust myself with right now. Inuyasha, I've never had these feelings for a man before," Kagome said, burrowing her head into his chest. Inuyasha paused. Was she scared?

"Hey," Inuyasha said softly, pulling her face up by the chin and bestowing a soft kiss onto her lips. "Don't worry. Whatever happens, neither of us will regret it, right?" Kagome smiled up at him, and his breath caught.

"Right," she said brightly, and Inuyasha pressed another kiss to her mouth before moving away from her.

"So before I rape you, I'm gonna go pick up my car, and then my niece," Inuyasha muttered. Kagome laughed, tugging on a lock of his hair.

"I'll talk to you later. I'm going to call Myouga to see how much work I have to—" she sneezed. "…To do tomorrow," she finished. She sniffled. Inuyasha tapped his finger on her nose, looking at her worriedly.

"Go to bed early, and try to eat ramen. It'll soothe your throat," Inuyasha said. Kagome looked up at him amusedly.

"Ramen, hm? Well, I suppose that _would _be the only solution for you," Kagome said. Inuyasha growled playfully, tapping her nose again then moving away to put his shoes on.

"I'll call you later," Inuyasha said. Kagome nodded, and closed the door behind him when he walked out. She put her forehead against the cool wood of the door. She was thinking the same thought as Inuyasha at that moment: _I can't believe I've fallen _that _hard so soon._

* * *

"Uncle Inu!" Ayame launched herself into Inuyasha's arms as soon as she saw him. Inuyasha swung her around, laughing. Then he eyed the piece of fur on her shoulders. 

"How many rats did you kill for _that_?" he asked, fingering it and sniffing it. Ayame laughed.

"No rats, Uncle Inu," Ayame said. Inuyasha grinned. He pulled on Ayame's pigtails, making her shriek.

"I see you haven't lost these rattails," Inuyasha said happily, fingering the flower she kept in her hair.

"That hurt!" Ayame complained, rubbing her scalp. "And they're not _rat_tails," she said. Inuyasha rolled his eyes.

"Oh, excuse me. _Wolf _tails."

"Damn right," Ayame said, and she said it just like him that he burst into laughter. He pulled her into a tight embrace, one that she returned just as fiercely. "I missed you too," Ayame said, and pulled back. Inuyasha lifted the small duffel bag she had carried, and started to walk with Ayame beside him. Inuyasha went in one direction, but stopped in consternation as Ayame started to head to the baggage claim area.

"Oy! Where do you think you're going?" Inuyasha asked. Ayame looked at him over her shoulder, and gestured to the small duffel bag.

"You didn't think that was seriously everything a girl carried, did you?" Ayame asked. Inuyasha sighed.

"Figures," he muttered. Ayame laughed and strolled to where the carousel was starting to spit out suitcases. She pointed hers out and Inuyasha dragged it out. He was about to walk away again when Ayame pointed out another suitcase. It was formidable in size, and Inuyasha wrestled with it onto non-rotating ground.

"Uncle Inu, you're so strong!" Ayame cooed and soothed. Inuyasha, ruffled and irritated, grunted and started to pull the suitcases along.

"This better be all you have, bitch," Inuyasha growled. Ayame didn't take offense.

"Yeah, that's it. Let's go now," Ayame said. She walked ahead of him while he struggled to keep the two suitcases in balance with the small duffel bag over his shoulder.

"You could help me, you know. I know you're not some weak female," Inuyasha said to her from behind. Ayame looked over her shoulder, grinned.

"I _could_, but I know my _big, strong _uncle can more than handle two measly suitcases," Ayame said. Inuyasha swelled with pride, but easily saw through her manipulation. Still, he allowed himself to be manipulated. He grumbled and muttered dark things under his breath the whole way back to his car, but didn't really complain. "How come you didn't bring your girlfriend with you?" she asked him as they both slid into his car.

"Uh… Because…" Inuyasha said slowly. "She's sick…" Why _hadn't _he brought her?

"Uh-huh…?" Ayame said, motioning her hands so he would know that she was saying to continue.

"Oh, well… It's you and me, Ayame. I wanted some time spent with you," Inuyasha said, and found it to be true. He rarely saw his niece. He would have an ache until he saw Kagome again, but when Ayame left, he wouldn't see _her _for another couple of years, probably, since she was going to college. Ayame laughed, and Inuyasha looked disgruntled. "I'm serious! I could've gotten laid today, but I came to get you because I wanted to see you." Ayame rolled her eyes.

"You sound surly about it," Ayame said. Inuyasha shrugged.

"Maybe a little," he said sheepishly.

"Well, I'm sorry I interrupted your… 'getting laid'."

"No problem. I'll get it done next time," Inuyasha said easily, and Ayame laughed.

"Uncle Inu, I have never known anyone as open as you." Inuyasha shrugged again, driving easily out of the parking lot.

"It's a talent."

* * *

Kagome's brows were furrowed in thought, concentration giving her eyes an intense quality. The tip of her tongue came out in her deep thought. Darkly, excitedly, sadly, and happily knew there was no going back. 

She put the last piece of her puzzle into place. Bored out of her mind after placing a call to Myouga, she had dug around in her closet to find a puzzle that one of her friends had given her as a present. She had always meant to do it, but work had always gotten in the way. Now, when she was sick and had taken a day off of work, she thought it was the perfect opportunity. However, once she had started, there was no stopping. The thousand-piece puzzle stumped her at first, but she had triumphed in the end.

Glee overtook her, making her stand and dance, then cough with exertion.

"Oh man, I feel like dirt," she said to no one. She looked down at the puzzle on her desk, all her papers swept to one side to accommodate the puzzle. It was a beautiful picture, a pastel picture. There was a white dog running on the beach, chasing after a black dog under the stars and the full moon.

She sighed, looking at the clock. It was near two in the morning. She had given six hours of her life to this darn puzzle, and Inuyasha still hadn't called. Incensed, she brushed her teeth and crawled into bed, drawing the sheets up to her chin. It had his musky smell on it, and disgustedly, she kicked it off. She knew that he was probably spending quality time with his niece, but the least he could have done was call her to _tell _her that he was too busy spending time with his niece to really talk to her today. She hated it when people said they were going to do something but never did it, thinking she wouldn't get angry. Well, she's show him who was angry whenever he called, _if _he called. Her eyes started to drift shut when she heard the shrill piercing ring of the telephone.

She groped for it at her bedside table, answering it with a drowsy, "Hello?"

"Oops. Were you sleeping?" Inuyasha asked. Kagome frowned, fighting to stay awake at least to chew him out.

"No," she snapped, but it was slurred. Inuyasha chuckled.

"Sorry I called so late. I didn't notice how the time went by until Ayame mentioned it to me. Go to sleep babe. I'll see you tomorrow for lunch or something. Ayame wants to meet you, too, so…"

"Oh, that's wonderful! I want to meet her, too!" Kagome said, genuinely happy. "But you can go away after you drop her off. We're going to have a little 'chat' about you." Inuyasha chuckled again

"I don't think so, sweetheart. I told you I was sorry for calling so late. I was just spending time with my niece," Inuyasha said, a pleading note entering his voice. Kagome sighed, relenting, too tired to do much else.

"I know. Sorry if I seemed snappish," Kagome said.

"It's all good. I was the one that didn't call until two in the morning. Good night, Kagome."

"Good night, Inuyasha." Inuyasha hung up, and Kagome did also.

* * *

Kagome knew she wouldn't stay at work today for long. She felt nauseous reading all the papers on her desk. Myouga hopped in, looking at the mess on her desk and her face mashed into it all. 

"Kagome…" he said slowly, obviously worried for her sanity. She looked at him blearily, a sheet of paper stuck to the side of her face. "Maybe you should go home and rest…" Kagome shook her head fiercely, retrieving her pen (From where, Myouga didn't know. All he could see were papers). "Kagome, dear, you look sick."

"Thanks, Myouga," she said. "You can thank your grandson for that." Myouga frowned.

"Well… I came in here to tell you that we're going to have something like a charity ball. Anyone who attends will contribute money to a good cause, and we'll also get to figure out who is loyal to us, and who Naraku is pulling strings with."

"Two birds with one stone?" Kagome asked, frowning as she peeled off the paper that was stuck to her face.

"Yes, exactly. Anyways, as an early or late birthday present, you may buy a whole outfit for the occasion, and splurge using the company account. I'll cover it, don't worry," he said when she opened her mouth to protest.

"Uh… Thank you," Kagome said, already imagining what she could buy. What _shoes _she could buy. Oh, she felt like the proverbial kid in a candy store that he had just _bought_. "How lovely," she murmured to herself. Myouga smiled at her.

"Are you going to… bring a date?" he asked slyly. Kagome sighed.

"I don't think Inuyasha would like formal wear so much," Kagome said. Then her eyes brightened. "I could take him _shopping _with me! Then we'll be able to buy him a suit or something, too! Oh, this is _wonderful_!" Kagome paused. "You _do _know that Ayame is staying with him right now?" Myouga paused.

"Is she? Hm. I guess it slipped Inuyasha's mind to tell me. Ayame's a good child. Again, you can use the company account for her. Don't buy anything that is ridiculously expensive though," Myouga warned. Kagome laughed.

"Myouga, would _I _do that?" Kagome asked.

"I don't know. I'm thinking if I should be kicking myself or sighing in relief that you're not angry," Myouga said.

"Well, now I am," Kagome snapped, but smiled and said, "No I'm not! Oh, this is great! I can't _wait _to see Inuyasha in a suit!" Myouga figured his grandson would kill him when he got the chance. Sighing, he thought he should be kicking himself.

"Why don't you go invite them personally right now, and leave the rest of this to your secretary? She'll enjoy the work. She seems to _want _the workload. Every time I see her, she's looking through papers, double-checking and reading over them to make sure they're perfect," Myouga said.

"Oh, Kanna? I'm so glad I hired her. She really does seem to like it. Yes, I suppose I'll go then," Kagome said, standing up and stretching. She picked up her keys, thanked Myouga, and strolled out, making sure to thank Kanna as well for her hard work. The young woman looked at her blankly, just nodding to indicate that she had heard what Kagome had said. Frowning, Kagome went to the elevator, knowing Kanna's eyes were on her. She quickly stepped into the elevator, then went down.

She got into her car, then called Inuyasha to make sure he was home. "Inuyasha, I'm gonna come over right now," Kagome said. Inuyasha grunted his affirmative, and Kagome hung up.

When she arrived, she reapplied her lip-gloss, and went up, feeling fatigue making her drag her heeled feet.

When Inuyasha opened the door, she gave him a tired smile, and he led her to his couch, concerned. "You overworked yourself, wench," Inuyasha said. Kagome waved off his comment, but jerked her head up when Ayame came into the living room.

"Hello. I'm Ayame," she said pleasantly, her bright green eyes assessing Kagome. Kagome didn't flinch under the gaze, and shook Ayame's hand strongly.

"I'm Kagome," she said. She saw approval in Ayame's eyes before Kagome leaned her head back again. Inuyasha pushed her hair back, catching Ayame's sly glance. He quickly pulled his hand away.

"Why are you here?" Inuyasha asked gruffly. Kagome sighed.

"Myouga's holding a charity ball, wants me to bring a date, blah blah blah… Wanna hear the rest?" Kagome asked. Inuyasha raised a brow.

"So are you demanding, suggesting, asking…?" Inuyasha asked. Kagome scowled at him.

"I'm demanding, half-wit." She turned to Ayame. "You're invited, too. And he said to buy a dress for you in the name of the company." Ayame smiled brilliantly, clapping in glee.

"Oh! Shopping!" Ayame said. Kagome sighed happily, and her lips curved.

"I know," she said knowingly. Inuyasha sighed too, only not for the same reason Kagome did.

"Don't you have a dress somewhere in those suitcases of yours?" Inuyasha asked. Ayame rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, but _they _are not _formal _wear," Ayame said. It was Inuyasha's turn to roll his eyes.

"Whatever," he said.

"Let's go now!" Ayame said excitedly.

"Not now, Ayame. Kagome's tired," Inuyasha admonished. Kagome struggled to her feet before Inuyasha pulled her back down again.

"I can go, Inuyasha," Kagome snapped.

"Not without keeling over you can't," he said back. Before their argument could escalate, Ayame cut in.

"Uncle Inu is right. I wasn't thinking. We'll go tomorrow, of course," Ayame said.

"I can't go until after work. I took these two days off, but that's all those slave drivers will allow," Inuyasha said.

"Me either. I have too much stuff to do," Kagome said. Ayame sighed.

"Okay, shopping will have to wait until tomorrow," Ayame said mournfully.

"Didn't you do _enough _shopping today?" Inuyasha asked, exasperated. Ayame flipped her hair over her shoulder.

"Of course not," she said haughtily. "When does a girl _ever _do enough shopping?"

"She's got a point there," Kagome said gravely. Inuyasha snorted. His eyes narrowed as Kagome sneezed loudly. She sniffled, then looked at Inuyasha's look. "I'm fine, you big worrywart. In fact, I'm going to go home and sleep now," Kagome said.

"I'm going to drug your ass next time instead of medicine, if that means you'll stay at home!" Inuyasha said. Kagome was instantly frustrated and angry.

"I guess so, but I'll have to _trust _you first if you want to come near my food or drinks!" Kagome yelled.

"You _do _trust me!"

"You wish!"

"I know you do!"

"As if!"

"Tell me you trust me, dammit!"

"I don't think so!"

Ayame watched the by-play, both throwing words at each other like baseballs. Ayame put her chin in her hand, her elbow propped up against her knee, and she sighed. She wished she could be in love like this. A passionate, fiery, fighting-one-minute-and-in-bed-the-next kind of love. Just as she predicted, the verbal spar ended to be started again by a session of mouth-to-mouth.

"Uncle Inu, I don't think Miss Kagome is dying for you to be sucking her lungs like that," Ayame said lazily from her position. Inuyasha gave her no mind, and Kagome only mildly protested. With amusement, Ayame could see Kagome's toes curl as Inuyasha worked his magic on her. "Wow, Uncle." Inuyasha tore away from Kagome, and she was breathing hard, glancing at Ayame and flushing with embarrassment.

"Why couldn't you have come _next _week?" Inuyasha asked Ayame, surly. Ayame shrugged.

"Because you wanted me to come today. Or so the ticket says," Ayame retorted. Inuyasha sighed, then looked at Kagome.

"Sorry babe. You know how family is. A royal pain in the—" A pillow smacked into the back of his head before he could finish the sentence. Ayame had another small pillow poised threateningly, and Inuyasha turned to look at her, disbelief written on his face.

"Did you just throw a _pillow _at my head?" Inuyasha asked slowly.

"_I _threw a pillow at your head this morning," Kagome muttered, but Inuyasha ignored her. Ayame grinned. She threw the other one, hitting Inuyasha smack in the middle of the face. Inuyasha pounced on her, and they both struggled. Kagome watched, interested as she saw them both nip at each other, but neither driving their teeth into the other. They were _playing_, it seemed. Suddenly, Ayame was on her stomach, and Inuyasha was poised above the back of her neck, his teeth an inch above.

"Okay, okay, you win," Ayame grumbled. Inuyasha grinned. He looked at Kagome, saw her amused look, then straightened.

"Kagome, you look tired," Ayame said from her prone position on the floor. Kagome nodded her agreement, and stood. Inuyasha gave Ayame a look, and she went to the kitchen. Inuyasha walked Kagome out, his hands in his pockets. Bare-footed, he padded to her car, and she looked at his feet dubiously.

"They're fine," Inuyasha said, wriggling his toes. Kagome smiled at him, and Inuyasha's hands clenched in his pockets.

"I wasn't worrying," Kagome said, and slid into her car. Inuyasha leaned down, cupped her chin in his hand and gave her a short kiss with a shuddering breath.

"Of course you weren't," he murmured. He watched Kagome silently look up at him for a few moments, then close the door. She started the engine and drove away, looking at Inuyasha through her rearview mirror. He stood there, the wind blowing in his hair, his hands in his pockets as she drove away. Kagome sighed as she drove out of sight of Inuyasha.

* * *

Inuyasha hummed as he came into work that day. He was humming Shrek 2's "Accidentally In Love". Miroku noticed right away, too. 

"Love is in the air," Miroku sang in a low baritone that cracked when he went to low.

"That was beautiful," Inuyasha stated as he sat down, rolling his eyes.

"Wasn't it, though?"

"Anyways, let's get started. Who's the caller?" Inuyasha asked.

"I have to answer it first," Miroku said wryly, pressing on the button. Instantly, a female's crying reached both their ears. She was hysterical, and Inuyasha couldn't make out anything she was hollering.

"I knew you'd pick someone bad," Inuyasha growled. Miroku shrugged, hitting the hang up button.

"Okay, next caller. You can start our topic today," Miroku said cheerfully.

"Do you know Akio Enomoto?" a male voice asked.

"Your name first, please," Miroku said.

"Oh yeah. It's Nobusuke, but please just call me Suke. Anyways, do you know Akio Enomoto?"

"Who doesn't? He's the serial killer they caught a month ago. He killed seventeen women after raping them and carving a pair of initials onto their bodies," Inuyasha said.

"Yes, that's him. He would carve the initials of the next woman he was going to kill," he said, then he sighed heavily. "My wife, she's… she's _taken _with him."

"Taken? What do you mean?" Inuyasha asked.

"I mean, she has some infatuation with him," he said. Inuyasha recoiled mentally in disgust, but listened anyway. "She writes letters to him, saying that he has her support. I saw one of her letters, read it, asked her about it, and all she would say was, 'Wouldn't you want my support, honey, if _you _were accused of something so heinous?'"

"And what did you say?" Miroku asked.

"I said, of course I would want her support, but I'm her _husband_. She… She said that she'll give her support to anyone who needs it."

"She thinks a _serial killer _after _women _needs it?" Inuyasha asked incredulously.

"Obviously so," the man replied gravely.

"That's (beep)in' crazy!" Inuyasha said.

"I know," the man replied. "I tried to reason with her, but… I think it's far beyond infatuation now. I think she would actually leave me and the children if he beckoned."

"Jesus," Inuyasha said, then shook his head. "I'm sorry man. The best advice I can give you is to take your kids and divorce her now. Tell the court that she's an unfit mother, that she'll go running to her make-believe lover."

"I already considered that option, and I'm already speaking with a lawyer about it. I think I _will _do it. I have to, for the children," he said.

"Good luck," Inuyasha said sympathetically. "I think that women are so shallow. They say that they're virtuous and true, and there _are _women like that, like Ka—Kikyou, but once someone that is better looking or has more money comes along… Bam! They're gone."

"I agree," the man said heavily.

"All right. Good luck, Suke," Inuyasha said.

"Thank you. Good-bye." He hung up.

"What a bummer," Inuyasha said.

"Yeah, no kidding," Miroku said. "Okay, next caller." He hit the button again, and wailing was heard.

"Oh man, this chic again?" Inuyasha asked, his finger hovering over the hang up button.

"Wait!" she cried out, her voice waterlogged but her crying under control. "Please. I need advice."

"What's your name, and what's your problem?" Miroku asked gently.

"My name is Hotaru, and… and…" she trailed off, sniffling and obviously getting herself under composure.

"…And?" Inuyasha prompted, impatient.

"_He broke up with me!_" The girl dissolved into tears again, balling and hysterically crying, hiccuping.

"_Get _a _grip_!" Inuyasha yelled. The girl shut up, although a few sounds of hiccups could be made out.

"Sorry," she mumbled.

"Okay. Now. Why did he break up with you?" Inuyasha asked.

"He said… that he… liked someone else," the girl said, trying to keep herself under tight reigns. "He said… he said… that he doesn't _love me anymore!_" The last part was wailed out. Inuyasha's finger was above the hang up button again, but Miroku gave him a hard look and he sat back, sighing.

"There are plenty of guys out there that you haven't been with yet, guys that would never leave such an obviously delightful girl," Miroku crooned. This, however, didn't seem to help as the girl burst into tears.

"But I _loved _him! How can I find another guy that I would fall in love with when I'm already _in _love?" she asked, balling. Inuyasha sighed.

"Look. You can cry about it all you want, or do something about it. If my girl told me she liked someone else, not that she would with me, I would either break up with her and find someone else that's better, or get her _back_." Inuyasha knew that if Kagome started to like another guy, she would tell him straight up and do it in a way where he felt guilty enough to let her leave. However, after, he would do everything in his power to get her ass back and spank that pretty little backside for having left him.

"You think I should get him back?" the girl whispered.

"Frankly, I don't care. But, if you really feel you love this guy, then have a go at it. But I don't think you should close your mind off to the thought of other guys, better than the one you have now. The girl was quiet for a moment.

"Okay, I'll do that," she said slowly, then sighed. "I wish I was more like your Kikyou. She seems to be so much stronger. She would be able to bear it if a guy left her." Inuyasha's heart froze in his chest. Would Kagome mind if he left? Would she even care?

"Like she would do anything as stupid as to leave _me_," Inuyasha said with bravado that he didn't feel. The girl laughed, and hung up.

They talked about mundane things until one o' clock rolled around. Inuyasha sighed as the first caller asked:

"What did you do?" What did he do? Well, Inuyasha would tell the bright little youngsters that listened to his show avidly what he did with her.

"What did I do?" Inuyasha repeated. "I fell in love with her. That's what I did." There was instant silence, then the red button started flashing, apparently having a fit.

"Wow, I'm so happy for you! Does she—" Inuyasha hung up on him, sighing.

"And I still haven't gotten into her bed. How messed up is that?" Inuyasha asked Miroku.

"So, no sex, but love, hm? I think that proves it. Love has come around the corner and surprised you with a pie to the face," Miroku said. Inuyasha looked at him as if he was crazy.

"Where do you come _up _with this stuff?"

"My head thinks in mysterious ways."

"Amen."

The rest of the day was only talking about Kikyou. Kikyou for four hours. Inuyasha didn't think he could _stop _talking, for once. Other people called in with love stories, and Inuyasha tried to remain silent, but told them all the details about Kagome that made him fall in love with her. People called in with curses, telling him that he didn't deserve love after all the crap he had told them. He, of course, shot them down with explicit words and arguments that left them blistering.

When five o' clock came, Inuyasha was ready to leave.

"All right, that's it for today, and I have to go shopping with my niece and Ka—Kikyou today." _Dammit! _He thought. _That's the second time today I nearly said Kagome's name. If I actually _do _slip one time, it's over. She'll be found out, and… us… _Inuyasha gulped. He would be more careful with her name.

He walked out the door, already dreading the long day ahead of him. He just knew he would need hot water to soak his feet at the end of the day. Sighing, he drove to Kagome's work place anyway to meet her.

* * *

**wk**: Okay, that's the end of a _very _long chapter. It was about ten pages on Word, I think. This chapter was made extra long as a late... Thanksgiving present of sorts. **Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! **Okay, anyways, here's the... 

**_ReViEw oF rEvIeWs_**:

Hehe, I updated sooner this time, **emerald ash**! Aren't you proud of me? Aren't ya? Aren't ya? And yeahhh... Exams can just go suck some watermelons.

Thanks, **drake220**! It was your comment, actually, that made me restart this chapter. The length and the quality of this chapter (I hope the quality is good) is thanks to you! So thanks you so much! I hope I updated a lot sooner than last time!

Hehe, and it was _your _comment, **Forbidden Miko**, that made me think of them falling in love in this chapter. It's about time, ne? And yes... School does swamp if anything. And I would _never _abandon this story! It's much too fun. (Grins)

Short term memory has certainly bested us, **Yabou**. And I'm glad you got it off of another reader's page! It means people like my story enough to put it on their page! Yay! (Smiles)

Thanks, **azn-anime-anjel**! I'm glad you enjoyed reading it!

Thanks so much, **Kombat-King**! Well, since this was Thanksgiving break, I had much more time, and not as so much stress on my shoulders. Hence the reason why I got _this _chapter out so quick. I think I could have done better on it, but... Maybe I'll look over it when I edit. After I'm done with the story.

Hehe, well, you saw Kagome's reaction, **silentslayer**. Do you think it was appropriate?

Haha, that was a _strategic_ squirrel. Too bad it didn't go into hibernation yet. (Cackles evilly) I updated a lot sooner than last time, too! I'm so happy, **AngelOfDiamonds**! Thanks for reading!

School certainly kills, **firebird5**! Thanks for the support! Do you think maybe Inuyasha got in enough trouble, or do you think I should have made Kagome more harsh?

I am actually going to put up a "Kouga broadcast" on the next chapter, **Kiala**. And yes, Houjo probably _is _going to enter it, I just don't know _how _I'm going to put him in. I have a small idea, but I don't know if it should come to fruition... I'll think on it some more. In the meantime, hope you enjoyed this chapter, and see you next time!

It's okay, **inulova4lyfe**! I don't very much care as long as you read the chapter. I understand stress. Boy, do I understand stress. Don't you worry about a thing.

Hehe, the squirrel had no other part in the story except to interrupt Kagome and Inuyasha before... well, just before. Thanks for reading, **hibi**!

Hehe, I'm glad you think it's getting better! Maybe my writing quality is getting better instead of getting worse, huh? I'm so happy, **o0 DaRkNeSsEz PuRiTy 0o**! Thanks for reading!

I probably don't have Ayame's character right, since I've never watched her on the show before, so I molded her personality to fit my own purposes. Hehe, and I _love _to take the less popular side on topics, **Mini Nicka**. So in a way, I'm just as controversial as Inuyasha is in this story. I don't have as much influence though, of course. But I sincerely _do _believe that gay marriages should be allowed, and if they wanted it just for the government advantages, then why not just marry the opposite gender for them? People can be so close-minded sometimes.

I hope I updated soon enough, **Dark Shards**! Thanks for being a loyal fan, and reading my story!

Well, **binab86**, I _am _going to bring Sesshoumaru into the story, but probably later. Much later. And Kagome will find out later too. Possibly before or after Sesshoumaru is introduced. I haven't decided yet. In either case, thanks for sticking with my story!

Sorry **ChibiKenshin6490**... but Inuyasha's secret? Are you talking about his secret that he's working at the radio station and talking about Kagome? Or something else? I wouldn't even ask if I knew my own story as well as my readers do, but unfortunately, my mind is a bit wasted. I'm surprised I can write the alphabet, nonetheless this story sometimes.

I'm so glad you found the time, **Tenshi Koneko**! I hope I updated soon enough for you, and I'm so happy that you decided to read my story. Thanks!

It's not that I'm writing the scenes in disorder... Mostly because I have _no _scenes in my head. It's just blabber in my head until my fingers start typing. Then it becomes actual ideas on the computer, and I just go along with it. Thank you for you compliments, though, **Leni**! And I like this relationship-building idea much better, too. I don't really believe in love at first sight, just lust at first sight. Then, when you get to know the person... Bam! You're Inuyasha and Kagome in the same exact situation. And you don't know the half of the reaction I'm planning for Kagome when she finds out about Inuyasha's secret. And yeah... Inuyasha just has no courtesy for women. As I was writing this chapter, I realized I could have at least had Inuyasha cover her with a blanket, but... I don't know. Skipped my mind? And yeah... I found the "air" thing. I'll fix it when I edit it after I'm done with the story. If you see anything else, please do tell me, so I can fix that too! Thanks!

THANKS, **Raining Fire**! I think you're a _wonderful reader_!

Hehe, that was the idea, **sapphire pink**. I'll tell you now... if _my _future boyfriend would do something like that to me, I would have skinned him alive. I thought Kagome would be a little more _nice _about it though. (Smiles) Still trying to keep her in character as she is on the show.

Hehe, I got your hint, **Amunett**! I hope I updated a lot sooner that before. And I hope this chapter was good too. Critique, please!

Thanks, **skitzoid**! This story likey you too! (Grins) And I'll _try _to keep up the good writing. You tell me if it isn't.

Hehe, thanks, **Iced Faerie**! Of course, I don't see how leaving Kagome on a wet couch was sweet, though... but to all his own, yes? Ah, well... Thanks for reading!

Thanks, **Mizo Sakura**! I'm so glad you don't think I've ruined it yet. (Keyword: Yet) I think this chapter was a little fast and rushed, but I hope that didn't change the quality of it. And I think you're a tough (cool) reader! Thanks so much!

Thanks for reading and sticking with my story, **InuYasha's-1-and-only-lov**! I was happy I updated, too! It had been a long time, and I kept you guys waiting. Sorry about that. But I came out with this chapter a little faster, right?

Inuyasha faced his small hell in the morning, ne, **Fushigi Aoi Tenshi**? If you don't think so, please tell me. I _did _make Kagome's reaction rather small. Still, I think it was appropriate. If you don't think so, again, please tell me. Thanks for reading!

Ouch. Tell your friend I'm sorry, **Corner girl**. And I _completely _understand the lack of sleep. That was the reason I didn't write as much before Thanksgiving break. Not enough sleep. I had to literally take catnaps here and there, wherever I could before I had to wake up, do homework, study, eat, or go to school. And I _love _how you put it-- No one should force their idealogies on other poeple. Of course, I'm going to have Inuyasha try, but that's just the kind of person he is. He respects other people's decisions, but he'll stop at nothing to change their mind. And I _do _believe I will be addressing abortion in the next chapter. Thanks for the idea!

Haha, don't like your names too much? Or do you find another name that's much better? Either is plausible. In any case, thanks for reading my story, **Linkin Park's Fan**, or whoever you will be in the future. I'm glad Kagome's reaction got a reaction out of you. That means my writing really is okay! (Grins)

I don't really like stories that have no humor in it. I don't think I would be able to _live _without humor, nonetheless _write _without humor. Some stories I have read that have no humor have come out to be flat, toneless, colorless and just... plain. And thanks for the compliments, **hana**! I'm not so sure it's _that _organized, but if you say so... Hehe.

Haha, why would I want you to shut up, **Daddy's Pixie**? Your reviews are so interesting. And _I'm _a talkative little snot too. Poeple can't stand me, but who cares? And I really am ecstatic that you try to review on my stories, even though you're grounded and you could have spent time with your boyfriend. Hehe, and I think I updated soon... A lot sooner than last time, anyways. Thanks for your support and love for this story!

Well, **abstract x heart**, I think teachers give us piles of homework, because they have a conspiracy going that us children and kids don't _need _time to ourselves, that they'll wear us down and then later... Turn us into one of them. It's a horrible concept, one I've thought of for _years_. I mean, who wants to turn into a drab, working man/woman? And yes... I've also been behind textbooks. Unfortunately, my mind wanders a lot, something I can blame for my bad grades so far. And I'm thinking about Sesshoumaru. I'm thinking about just... well, you'll see later, but... Thank you for your opinion! Haha, and I've been _trying _to run from the fire-breathing dragons. They just won't get their claws out of my hair. I like dragons too. Love 'em to death. Teachers are just... the bad ones. I'm sure there are bad dragons, just like there are bad humans.

Thanks so much, **Keiko89**! I'm glad you find this story as interesting as some others you've read!

Hehe, yeah... I might have made Inuyasha a bit... unthinking in the last chapter, **Disoriented Mind**. But in a wierd, wierd way, I think it kind of fits him. Not really, but a tiny bit. I really should have changed it, but I was eager to get the chapter out, and I wasn't thinking. As usual. Oh well. Thanks for reading!

Thank you for your compliments, **lady-latina**! And I _will _continue to write it! I hope you _you _will continue to read it!

Yes, **PeachesDani**, my fellow college-goer. I _am _in college right now, and it is a _pain _in the _rear_. And work... (Shudders) And haha... I hope you liked Kagome's reaction in this chapter.

Did you know, **Sunrider22**, that you reviewed twice? With the same review? It's kind of amusing, but I want to know how you did it. If I try to review more than once on the same chapter, it doesn't let me. How sad. And yeah, I think "progression" is the right word. And Inuyasha's not in denail anymore! He finally admitted it to himself, and Kagome did too! Two in one, baby! Yeah... Kagome's reaction's going to be... indescribable when she finds out. I'm not exactly sure _what _Miroku would have thought on the marijuana deal for _real_, but this is just a projection of what he might have done if he believed the medical use of marijuana was okay. And... You'll see about Ayame, Kouga, and Inuyasha later. I have a _plan _for those three. And I _love _how you put Inuyasha would feel about it! "He would rather have three toes cut off." What a wonderful way to put it! I believe I'm going to use that, if you don't mind. Thanks so much, **Sunrider22**! And of course, I _love _to review your review! And all the others' of course. And I am _honored beyond belief_ that you're considering this your favorite story. Flattery will get you everywhere. (Winks)

I put you in this chapter, "Hotaru"! Hope you like how I used her, **Obsessive Starchaser**! I'm thinking about her "reappearing" on the show. Stereotypical dumbass, I think you were, in this chapter. You know what? I definitely _will _use Hotaru again. And of _course _it's okay with me. And it's not a wierd idea at all. I enjoyed having one of my readers being personally involved in the story. It was _so _much fun while I was writing it. Thanks so much for lending me the use of Hotaru!

Hehe, you think so, **Penguine**? Glad you liked it! Anyways, I hope you liked this chapter, too. It was a bit rushed, but... Oh well. I'll try to make the next one better. Thanks for reading!

**wk**: Thank you _all _so much! Every time I do the **_ReViEw oF rEviEwS_**, I am almost swamped by the support andfriendly, warm feelingsI get for this story. I broke **200 reviews** for this story, and I do believe it won't stop there, thanks to you guys. This extra-long chapter was dedicated to you guys, and I thank you again! Hope everyone had a happy Thanksgiving, and... and... THANK YOU!


	10. Getting Ready

**wk**: Long time no see. Haha, actually, I think I updated sooner this time. Not too sure. Well, anyways, this is my update. Hopefully, you guys will like it. I made it extra long. It might not make sense sometimes. Please give some constructive criticism! It makes me determined to make my writing better.

**Chapter Ten  
Getting Ready**

As soon as Inuyasha had found his own hideously expensive Armani suit (for which he paid for), he had continued to complain as they dragged him from store to store.

"Why can't women be as simple as men?" Kagome heard Inuyasha grumble behind her.

"Because women aren't as simple-_minded _as men," Kagome retorted.

"Being simple-minded isn't a bad thing. At least we know what we want," Inuyasha snapped.

"I know what I want," Kagome said dreamily. "I want a dark dress, probably black…"

"I want a--" Ayame stopped short, her breath catching in her throat. "Look at that dress!"

Kagome and Inuyasha both looked, Kagome's eyes lighting up with excitement. The hunt, for Ayame at least, was over. Inuyasha only groaned as they dragged him into the store.

It was an exquisite green dress, made from a fine, silky fabric. A small lady greeted them, smiling so that the corners of her friendly eyes were crinkled.

"Oy. I'm going to go outside and wait," Inuyasha said, knowing this would take a while. "I'll be at the electronics store down that way, okay?"

"Okay," Kagome and Ayame responded automatically, not even looking at Inuyasha and fingering the material of the dress. Scowling and unable to admit he was mad that he was being ignored, he left with his bag in one hand.

Ayame took the dress, practically ran into the dressing room, and changed. When she came out, Kagome gasped.

"How perfect!" Kagome said excitedly. The dress was green, a shade darker than the color of Ayame's eyes.

"You think so?" Ayame asked, twirling around. The bottom of the dress was tight, but a long slit that went to mid-thigh allowed her to move more freely. It was sleeveless, but had straps. It had a low back, covering half of her back.

"Oh, that looks so pretty on you," the old lady said. "I made this with my own two hands."

Kagome and Ayame both looked at the small, old lady in surprise. The old lady chuckled when she saw the looks. "These old bones might creak some, but they don't stop me from making dresses."

"So you design and make your own dresses?" Kagome asked, her voice awed. The old lady nodded.

"I've never really had customers in this store. It's so small, and they put me in an area where people can't really see my wonderful little store. I've only sold one dress, and a pair of shoes. But she was kind of too… _heavy _to fit into my dress. She bought it to brag about it to her friend. I also believe she told me that Versace was so much better."

"How horrible!" Kagome said. The old woman nodded in agreement. "She couldn't even fit her plump feet into the shoes," the old woman muttered.

"You sell shoes, too?" Ayame asked excitedly.

"My dresses are made with these shoes in mind. In fact, the pair of shoes for that dress is right… over… here…" The old lady walked behind the counter, and pulled out the heels. "We have different sizes, since I always buy in stock. Of course, I'm close to getting bankrupt, because I have no customers. And people seem to drop my dresses as soon as I say that _I _made them. I guess they only trust the machine to do a woman's work," the woman said, distaste evident in her voice. Her eyes twinkled as she turned to Kagome. "I have the perfect thing for you."

Kagome blinked. "Me?" she asked, pointing to herself.

"Well, who else could I be talking to?" the old woman asked.

"Grandmother, I--"

"Don't call me that. How ridiculous. My name is Nanami," the old lady said sharply. Kagome blinked again.

"Okay, well, Nanami… I--"

"Look! Isn't it beautiful? You must try this on! And you--" she pointed to Ayame, "--you try on these shoes and tell me if you need a different size."

"Old lady sure got bossy. She looks so sweet, too," Ayame muttered to Kagome as she was pushed away by Nanami. Kagome gave a little laugh, looking at the pure black dress in her arms. It pooled like water over her arm, sliding silkily across her skin.

"What are you doing? Hurry up!" the old woman said, while getting a different size for Ayame. Kagome, startled, quickly went into the dressing room. _Gee, what happened to the seemingly sweet, smiling old lady behind the front counter? _Kagome thought. Kagome undressed, wondering what the heck she was doing with such a fine dress. She was supposed to get something cheap, something that was suited to prom, or something else that was less significant than this ball.

Kagome shimmied into the dress, and wondered what to do with the straps for a moment. They were not connected to the back of the dress, since the dress practically _had _no back. It stopped just a few centimeters above her buttocks, something she was feeling self-conscious about. The straps, she found out, were tied around her neck like a halter. Her dress also had a slit, but one side was longer than the other, requiring it to be held when she walked.

She noticed the light playing off of something on her dress. As she ran her fingers over the bottom, she felt small, smooth bumps. It was hidden sequins, and as she looked harder, she found that they were shaped like butterfly wings. Her breath caught, and she looked at herself in the mirror.

"What's taking so long?" Ayame asked from outside. "Come out and see my shoes. They're so pretty!" Kagome quickly took the dress off, dressed, and went out. Both Nanami and Ayame frowned when they saw her. "Why aren't you wearing my dress? You don't like it?" Nanami asked.

"Oh no," Kagome assured her. "It's so wonderful it took my breath away. I absolutely feel _beautiful _in it," Kagome said.

"Then why not wear it out so we can see it?" Ayame asked. Kagome paused, then shrugged.

"I guess… I don't know," Kagome said uncertainly. Why did she feel as if she didn't want other people to see her in the dress? Insecurities? Inwardly she scoffed at the idea.

But still… she had never worn a dress like this, one that was so revealing, and it was a bit unnerving. She was self-conscious. "I'm self-conscious about it," Kagome concluded.

"That dress was _made _for your body, dear girl," Nanami piped up from the floor. She was working on Ayame's shoes. As Nanami moved away, Kagome saw the jade green shoes, thin straps going all the way to her ankle to be tied.

"Aren't they pretty?" Ayame crowed. "I'll have to thank Grandpa Myouga later." Kagome almost snickered when she heard Ayame call Myouga a grandpa.

"They're beautiful," Kagome said. Nanami turned to her.

"Now for you," Nanami said.

"Me what?" Kagome asked intelligently as Nanami pushed her into a chair. Kagome blinked as she sat down. For such a little lady, she sure had some muscles in those arms.

"Oy! What's taking so fucking long--" Inuyasha was stopped short as a clothes hanger smacked him in the middle of his face. Kagome and Ayame looked in awe at Nanami, then burst into laughter. "What the hell was that for, you--" Inuyasha stopped and dodged another clothes hanger.

"I won't have such foul language in my store, young man," Nanami said. She brought a pair of shoes to Kagome. Kagome stared at them. They were stiletto heels, meant to showcase her legs.

What she would be showing would not be her legs, but a broken ankle if she had to walk in those. God, she thought she could punch a whole through steel with those shoes.

"Uh… Nanami… Don't you think that's a little too high?" Kagome asked meekly. Nanami shook her head.

"Nonsense. You need to show off a little skin. Be sexy for your man over there," Nanami said, nodding her head at Inuyasha, who was glowering at her.

"What makes you think he's my man," Kagome asked, grinning at Inuyasha who turned his glare to her.

"I might be old," Nanami said, a smile making those eyes crinkle again, "but I know a good old-fashioned romance when I see one."

Kagome laughed, agreeing to wear the shoes. She would have to practice in them though. They were just so incredibly _tall_. They would probably raise her a few inches. She would still be shorter than Inuyasha, but she would be eye-to-nose with him now. He _was _really tall. Probably the demon's blood in him.

Kagome wobbled in them, holding onto the counter for assistance. "Oh, God, I don't think I can make a whole evening in these," Kagome cried.

"Of course you can. Just remember: You can't let any other lady bag that man. He's a little rough around the edges, but he lo--"

"Kagome!" Inuyasha quickly cut in, his ears helping him eavesdrop on the conversation.

"Huh?" Kagome asked, her hand still on the counter as she turned to face him.

"Let's go! My feet are killing me," Inuyasha said, the excuse making him sigh in relief. He saw the mischief in Nanami's eyes, and he barely suppressed a growl.

"How much is all this?" Kagome asked, indicating the dresses and shoes.

"Well…" Nanami told them, and all three's jaws dropped.

"I don't think Myouga would be very happy if I used that much money," Kagome murmured.

"But, if you agree to showcase my dresses on these formal occasions that you were talking about, I will sell it all for nine hundred dollars," Nanami said. "I will make a profit off of these other dresses, but I will not be known without a bit of help.

"You want me to wear your dresses? Showcase them?" Kagome asked incredulously. Nanami nodded.

"Model them for me, in a sense. I don't have enough money to hire those super models," Nanami said. Kagome became slack-jawed, unable to utter a sound.

"Deal!" Ayame said for her, sticking her hand out to Nanami. Nanami eyed it, then looked at the green-eyed youth.

"You too, for as long as you're sticking by her," Nanami said. Ayame agreed readily, if not eagerly. Kagome admired the wolf demon for her steadfast nerves, and her quick wit. Now all she had to do was whip out her card, and pick up her jaw from the floor.

"That's tremendously generous of you," Kagome said.

"I know," Nanami said, and ushered them out of the store after packing all the things in nice boxes and equally nice bags.

"So what does your dress look like?" Inuyasha asked Kagome, curious.

"Well… You'll see," Kagome said, smiling up at him. Inuyasha shrugged, thinking about the sore pads of his feet. They had endured worse, but shopping sprees always got them throbbing. He figured it was a male thing.

They went to Kagome's workplace next, so she could pick up her car. On the way, Inuyasha's phone started to ring. He picked it up on the second ring, frowning into the phone.

"What do you want, old man?" Inuyasha snapped. Kagome assumed it was Myouga. "_Thank _you? _Thank _you? You expect me to _thank _you that Kagome and Ayame had absolutely killed my feet?" Ayame and Kagome both made noises of protest, scowling at Inuyasha.

"Uncle Inu, you're such a wuss," Ayame muttered from the backseat.

"I am not!" Inuyasha snapped back at her then returned his attention to the phone.

"When's the dance old man? Three days? Seems an awfully short time to prepare things, and a lot of work," Inuyasha said. Kagome winced. She would be doing most of that work. Inuyasha listened for a few more minutes, then hung up.

"What else did he say?" Kagome asked.

"He said that everything was already taken care of. He had been preparing for it since a month ago. He just hadn't told you. Now really, all you have to do is send out the invitations. He leaves that to you, of course," Inuyasha said wryly.

"Of course," Kagome replied wearily. Inuyasha looked at her, concern flashing his expression before it disappeared.

"You're not as tired as I am, bitch," Inuyasha said. Quickly, he wondered if he had some kind of wish to die early. Well, at least Santa knew what to get for him this year. A painless death, unlike the death he knew Kagome was planning through her eyes.

Kagome grit her teeth, seething inside. She knew "bitch" wasn't a bad word with him, but the _way _he said the whole sentence implied that she was somehow _lower _than he was. That she didn't matter as much as he did. How lowering to see that he thought that when she had just realized she had fallen in love with him. Chauvinistic pig.

"Well _excuse _me, you--" she sneezed. She sighed. "Great. Now the medicine's wearing off."

They arrived at her work place, and she retrieved her car. They had agreed to go to her house, so that Ayame could see it.

They walked into her house when they arrived, Kagome making a beeline to her bathroom to get the medicine she had had earlier that day.

"Nice place," Ayame stated when Kagome came back.

"Oh, thanks," Kagome said. She sat down, popping the pills into her mouth. She sat back, sighing.

Inuyasha was staring at his feet, a faraway expression in his eyes.

"Do you have a… foot fetish?" Kagome asked hesitantly, and Inuyasha blinked before turning to her, scowling.

"I do _not _have a foot fetish. I was just thinking I would have to wait longer to soak my feet in hot water…" Inuyasha trailed off suggestively. Kagome lifted a brow.

"I'm sorry, do you want some hot water to soak your feet in?" Kagome asked politely.

"Yes," Inuyasha said instantly, grinning. Kagome leaned back into her couch further, her lips curving.

"Too bad." Inuyasha scowled at her some more before giving his feet an apologetic look.

"Uncle Inu, you're such a baby," Ayame said, rolling her eyes. She laughed as Inuyasha gave her a slight shove.

"Watch it kid, or you're going to be staying out in the cold," Inuyasha said.

"That's okay. She can stay here," Kagome cut in. Ayame stuck her tongue out at Inuyasha. Inuyasha growled.

"Since when did you two learn to gang up on me?" he asked. "I don't like it."

"Of course you don't," Kagome drawled. "And we bonded while shopping. Nothing like shopping to find out the other's girls weaknesses and strengths."

"I know your weakness is Uncle Inu," Ayame piped up. Kagome blushed furiously.

"I thought you were supposed to be on _my _side!" Kagome wailed.

"I am! And it's okay, because Uncle Inu's weakness is you!" Ayame quickly amended. Inuyasha felt the heat creep up his neck.

"Dammit, Ayame, I'm going to beat your ass black and blue!" Inuyasha snarled. Ayame patted him on the shoulder in consolation.

"It's okay, Uncle Inu. I'm sure Kagome doesn't know that you have a weakness for vanilla ice cream, feather pillows, chewy candies, honey-roasted peanuts, little children, and his fr--"

"Ayame!" Inuyasha snarled. Ayame sighed.

"Okay, okay. I get it. Geez. Don't have a pup, Uncle Inu."

"Could you repeat that for me? After I get a pencil and paper, though," Kagome said, starting to sit up, a delighted glee in her eyes. Ayame laughed.

"Sure, it's--"

"Ayame!"

"Okay! Okay!" Ayame threw herself back into the sofa, giving Inuyasha a dirty look.

"And you're not any better, encouraging her!" Inuyasha yelled at Kagome. Kagome frowned.

"I don't think you should be talking to _me _about bad influences," she said haughtily.

"What's _that _supposed to mean?" Inuyasha asked softly. Kagome instantly felt bad. She hadn't meant it of course.

"You know I didn't mean it," she said hastily, appeasing Inuyasha.

"Keh." He sat back, a sour look on his face. Kagome rolled her eyes.

"I _said _sorry."

"Like that's good enough," Inuyasha replied.

"Then what _would _be good enough, your Highness?" Inuyasha looked at her with heavy lids, making her breath catch. Why did he always do this? One second they were fighting, and the next second, she was… well… _aware_.

"Stop that," she murmured. He smiled at her, which seemed to be more potent then lustful eyes. Well, the kick in her gut told her so, anyway. What a butt. He knew exactly what he was doing.

"Stop what?" he asked innocently. "I wasn't doing anything. I'm innocent."

"Innocent as a shark," Kagome retorted. Inuyasha mock pouted.

"Now isn't that a little mean?"

"Not as mean as you, jerk."

"Only children resort to name-calling."

"Oh good, then now I know what _you _are."

"I'm not a child!"

"Well, aren't _you _just acting like an adult?"

Ayame sighed. It seemed that she was the most mature out of the group. She _did _find it endearing though, that Uncle Inuyasha had found a woman that could stand against him toe-to-toe. She wondered how the violently passionate Miss Kagome would react, though, when Inuyasha told her the truth. She would probably react as a violently passionate person would: she would…

Frankly, she didn't _know _what Kagome would do, but she could guess that Kagome would spit in his eye and tell him to go screw himself. Then he would get equally mad, and then they'd end up fighting, and not the playful quibble they were doing right now, but the serious fighting. After that… Who knew? They were both stubborn as mules, and they both didn't know that they were in love with each other. What a drama. She almost wanted to blurt it out right now, so that they could get it over with.

Still, that would ruin Uncle Inu's chances with her from zero to nonexistent. Although both were very bad, nonexistent was just worse than zero. At least zero was a number that could be raised.

She snapped out of her musings when she noticed the two staring intently at each other, the passion of their verbal spar having moved to a different kind of passion. Oh, these two made her sick. They were in the presence of… of… _her!_

"Uncle Inu, I'm going to wait in the car and retch until I'm sick, okay?" Ayame asked sweetly.

"You do that," Inuyasha murmured. Ayame rolled her eyes and went out. When the biting cold hit her in the face, she shivered and pulled her jacket tight around her. She had the urge to howl into the night, even though it wasn't a full moon. The mate-cry, the one that would bring the worthy one to her.

She reigned in the urge, frowning. She got into the car, sighing. Five minutes passed, then ten, and she was just about to go back into the house when Inuyasha came out.

He climbed into the driver's seat, and sighed.

"Uncle Inu, you've fallen _hard_," Ayame said. Inuyasha sighed again. He turned to her.

"Help me," he begged.

"From what? Love?" Ayame asked incredulously. Inuyasha opened his mouth, but then shut it. He leaned back against his own seat and shook his head.

"I don't think I _want _to give this up. _That's _the masochistic thing," Inuyasha muttered. Ayame smiled.

"Uncle Inuyasha, I think it's _so _sweet. It's not a fairy tale, but just how it should be. A relationship made from something small into something special," Ayame said dreamily. She had the urge to howl again. Dammit.

"It _does _sound like a fucking fairy tale," Inuyasha growled. "One of those stupid movies where the guy deceives the girl…"

Ah. So that was it, Ayame thought. That was what was bothering Inuyasha. He was worried his fairy tale wouldn't have a happy ending.

"Well, Uncle Inu, I suppose you can do the smart thing and tell her now before things get out of hand and she blames you for everything," Ayame said, then paused. "Actually, it might have already gotten out of hand."

"Exactly my point. When I _could _have told her, she wouldn't have been as mad… Now…" Inuyasha hit his head against the steering wheel repeatedly.

"You kill brain cells that way," Ayame pointed out wryly. Inuyasha lifted his head.

"She wants to give me her damn virginity," Inuyasha blurted, scowling. Ayame blinked, then blinked again. Then her face drew up in disgust.

"Uncle Inuyasha, you _do _know that that was _way _too much information for me? You're like my surrogate father, and I do _not _want to think about you and anyone else having… or doing… the unmentionables." Inuyasha snorted.

"Unmentionables? Since when did you become a prude? I remember your mother told you everything when you practically took the first step. I didn't really agree with her doing that, but hey. You didn't turn out damaged."

"I just turned out mentally scarred for life," Ayame said, shuddering. "Mother told me, yeah, but… I still don't want to hear about it!"

"Okay, okay," Inuyasha said. Then he sighed and put his chin in his hand, while his arm was resting against the wheel. He was staring at Kagome's house longingly, as if he wanted to go back in and… do the unmentionables.

Ayame cleared her throat. "So when did you become so open with the public? If I remember correctly, you used to say, 'They aren't worth shit. The only reason they listen to the show is to hear about other people's misery. People are repelled and yet attracted to pain.' And now, here you are, admitting that you love Kagome over the air."

"I didn't admit I loved _Kagome _over the air."

"Kikyou, whatever. Same person. You're changing the subject and stalling."

"Well, that _is _why. On the air, I'm Hanyou, and Kagome is Kikyou. They don't know who I am. I don't know who they are. It's infinitely easier to confide secrets to others when you think the one that you love will shun you if you tell them the same secret," Inuyasha murmured.

"So you're not telling Kagome because… she's Kagome?" Ayame asked.

"Exactly. Now you're getting it."

"…Okay… So what does all this have to do with her virginity?"

"I love her, dammit! Haven't you been listening to anything?"

"Well, I know that you love her, Uncle Inuyasha, but I was just wondering…"

"It's not something I can just take and then walk away after. I can't walk away at all if I do… that."

"_Now _who's the prude?"

"Shut up."

"What do you mean you can't walk away? … You're _planning _to walk away?"

"Of course I am! Do you think she would forgive me if I told her that I had been using her… in _public_, nonetheless, for a little bit of extra cash? Do you _know _how scary she is?"

"So you would rather run than face up to her?"

"It's not running!"

"Uncle Inu, someone's in denial."

"Shut up! It's not running! It's letting her go to…"

"Let her find someone better, one that won't deceive her, and tell her the truth?"

"…Yes."

"Well, that just clears everything up." Ayame rolled her eyes. "Why don't you just tell her the truth now and _be _that guy?" She was wrong. Inuyasha wasn't worried about the ending to his fairy tale. He was worried about whether or not he was the knight in shining armor.

Inuyasha hesitated. "I don't deserve her, Ayame. I'm… neither human nor demon. She won't--"

"Do you believe Miss Kagome to be so shallow? To only think of one's genes and heritage? You belittle her, Uncle Inu."

"God, you sound like something out of the medieval times."

"Shut up."

Inuyasha jumped when someone tapped on the window. He looked out to see an annoyed Kagome standing there, her arms crossed. For a hideously frightening moment, he thought she heard the conversation. He turned on the engine, then lowered the window.

"You've been sitting out here for quite a while now," Kagome said. "When are you leaving?" Inuyasha relaxed, and grinned at her.

"Can't wait to see us leave?" Inuyasha asked. Kagome frowned.

"I'm tired, Inuyasha. You're tired. Ayame… is Ayame. Do you get the idea?" she asked. Inuyasha laughed.

"Okay, okay. We'll leave you to your rest."

Kagome turned around to leave, but turned again. "What were you two arguing about?"

"We were arguing about whether or not to leave you be," Ayame said before Inuyasha could open his mouth.

Kagome smiled. "Well, leave me be. I'm going to bed. Good night."

Inuyasha raised a brow at Ayame as he closed the window. Ayame shrugged carelessly.

"It's not a lie. We were talking about whether or not you should leave the issue of Miss Kagome be."

"I suppose," Inuyasha said slowly, then drove home.

* * *

Three days passed rather quickly, and by the end of it, Kagome thought her hand was permanently cramped into the writing position. She could see it now: The headline of the newspaper would scream: "Corporate Vice President Unable to Move Hand! Can Only Write Her Signature!" 

Perfect. She would die signing invitations, putting Myouga's seal onto it. At least she didn't have that stupid cold anymore.

Stupid flea said he was too small to do any of the invitations, and the employees had no real authority except for Kagome and a few other Co-Presidents.

Tiredly, Kagome signed another one, but froze when she saw the name on it. Kouga was invited? Looking through the list again, she realized that all the employees were invited. Company loyalty was important, she remembered. But Kouga? She remembered Inuyasha and groaned. Kouga would _not _be happy when he saw Inuyasha, not after Inuyasha had punched Kouga's lights out.

"Crap," Kagome muttered. She wondered if she should throw this one invitation away, but knew that she couldn't. Sighing with resignation, she signed it, then stamped it.

When she was done with the invitations (at long last), she walked up to Kanna, holding the stack.

"Could you take care of these for me?" Kagome asked, smiling. Kanna only nodded, continuing to type. Kagome frowned.

Kanna was efficient, but Kagome wished she could have found someone a little warmer. Kagome shrugged and turned around. Kouga was there, and his eyes were intent as he looked at her. Swallowing nervously, Kagome stepped away from him.

"Yes? Can I help you?" Kagome asked. Kouga just continued to stare.

"You're still with dog mutt," Kouga said suddenly. Kagome blinked.

"Yeah…?" Kagome said slowly, her eyebrow going up.

"But you haven't mated yet?" Kagome blushed at the term "mated".

"No…"

"Are you going to?"

"I think that's a little personal," Kagome said, flushing with embarrassment, and trying to step around Kouga to get to her office. Kouga put his arm around her, bringing her back against him. She wedged her hands between them, levering her body away from his. The coworkers were starting to stare, and this would _not _be good gossip.

"So you're ripe for the taking," Kouga said, smirking. Kagome blew her hair out of her face, frowning up at him.

"I'm not some fruit. _You're _the fruitcake. So if you don't mind--" she shoved his arms away from her. "--I need to go finish some work." Kouga smiled, and wiggled his brows.

"Right. Some _work. _Can I do some of that _work _with you?" Kouga asked suggestively.

"Kouga, get your hands off of her right now!" A raspy voice said out loud. Kouga jumped away from Kagome, looking around quickly. Kagome saw the wrinkly old man and relaxed. It was Toutousai, one of Myouga's old business partners.

Kagome gave the old man a quick hug, squeezing his hand in thanks before leading the way past a bewildered Kouga into her office.

"So, Kagome, my dear girl… I hear from Myouga you're doing good for yourself," Toutousai said. Kagome shrugged, smiling.

"I'm doing all right. I was sick for a while, but I'm better now," Kagome said cheerfully.

"He also tells me you work hard," Toutousai stated. Kagome nodded slowly, still smiling cheerfully. "Do you want to come work for me?"

Kagome blinked. Toutousai had started out selling and repairing the swords of Japan, from the olden days to now. However, he had made his business into a one-man empire, selling exquisite swords to the collectors. It was like having a classic car. To have Toutousai hand-make a sword… It would probably cost the Earth and then some. Some very influential people had them, but they were the only ones that could afford it. Still, they gave Toutousai enough money so that he could live _very _comfortably in his big mansion by himself, with his demon bull and a smith.

He didn't have a company. His swords were just one of a kind.

"What would I be able to do for you?" Kagome asked. Toutousai paused, obviously pondering the question. Then he hit his palm with his fist, the look of a light bulb turning on evident on his face.

"I don't know!"

Kagome nearly fell over, and she laughed slightly, righting herself. "I don't think I would be able to do anything for you. Thank you for the offer though."

"I was just trying to see what having a secretary would be like, I guess."

"If you want a really good one, I have one named Kanna, and she--"

"No, that's okay." Toutousai sighed heavily. "I'll make do in my little old shack." Kagome snorted. If his house was a shack, her own must have been a box put together with Elmer's glue.

"So what's the real reason you're here, Toutousai?" Kagome asked. Toutousai blinked.

"Wow, you're smarter than you were before," he said. Kagome looked a little miffed before waving off the statement. "Well, Myouga said you were having a ball. I just came here to say again that I'm loyal to your company. I came to talk to Myouga about it too."

"That's all you came for? Please. Try again," Kagome said lazily, throwing a pencil at the old man. Toutousai sighed.

"Sometimes I wish you were just stupid like other girls," he muttered. Kagome grinned brilliantly.

"I do believe that was a compliment," Kagome said. "You still didn't tell me what you were here for." Toutousai's lips tightened into a thinner line, nearly making his lips nonexistent.

"I'm here because Naraku has offered to buy my business as well. He wants me to make swords for _him_," Toutousai said slowly, scratching the back of his head. Kagome jumped up, anger making her intimidating. Toutousai shrank back, holding his hands up in front of him to save himself from the wrath of Kagome.

"What is he _up _to? Why all of a sudden asking for _your _business, too? You're a _one-man_ business!" Kagome raged, pacing back and forth, pulling on her hair.

"Yes, I am," Toutousai said, looking surprised. Kagome sighed, dropping herself back into her chair heavily.

"Myouga should be back by now, so I suppose you should talk to him."

"I should?" Toutousai asked.

"Just go to him and tell him what you told me," Kagome said.

"Oh… What did I say to you?" Kagome gave a growl of frustration before pushing the strange old man out of her office.

"Where am I going?" he yelled at her through the door.

"To Myouga!" she yelled back. Toutousai ambled off, giving a startled look at his surroundings. Kagome shook her head sadly, going back to her desk.

This was good. If Toutousai was on _their _side, then they would also definitely have the media's attention as well. Outraged celebrities would lend a helping hand. Oh, she was so excited!

Then she paused. Naraku was sure to know this. How much money did he have, exactly? What was he planning to do, when practically all of Japan could be united against him? Was he looking to get toppled? Or maybe it was in Naraku's nature. As a ruthless businessman, he had no choice _but _to look for more and more challenges. Now, he was one of the richest in the world. So why not take on a country?

She sighed. She did not wish to understand Naraku's psyche. All she knew was that the ball was tomorrow, and she was going to die from exhaustion if she didn't go home. Packing up her purse with a few items, she got her manila folder, and left the office, making sure to leave the door locked.

* * *

"Keh. That's what you think," Inuyasha was saying. "Abortion is just heinous. If my wife killed our baby, I wouldn't--" 

"But it's _not _a baby yet," The woman said, exasperated with Inuyasha. "It's just a bundle of cells!"

"No it's not! As soon as that sperm joins the egg, it becomes a _soul_. And you kill it, by even _thinking _that. I wouldn't be able to stay with my wife if she did that."

"Even if you loved her? What if she was raped? And then what?" The woman asked scathingly.

"What else to do but to raise the baby as my own? If I wasn't able to protect her from rape, then I don't think the _baby _should be punished for it. And I wouldn't think of the pup any different than my own," Inuyasha growled.

"Why are you so passionate about keeping something that's so tainted?" The woman asked. Inuyasha sighed.

"It's obvious, isn't it? I _love _Kikyou. If she had a baby, then it's a part of her. If it's tainted, it's still a part of her. I love her, for her faults and her strengths. Her faults are what makes her essentially _her_. And that baby wouldn't be any different," Inuyasha said. The woman was silent, then broke into tears.

"My boyfriend just broke up with me. He left me pregnant," she cried brokenly. "He doesn't want anything to do with the baby. And I'm still in high school."

"Jesus," Inuyasha said, sighing as he sat back in his chair. He looked to Miroku, who shook his head. Okay, so this one was his.

"You should have the baby. If it was consensual sex, then you should have used a condom, or other means of birth control. You should have known better. Because you didn't, you're facing the consequences now. No need to kill a baby for your own actions," Inuyasha said.

"What if it wasn't consensual sex?" she asked. Inuyasha paused.

"Personally, I think that killing a baby is just wrong. It did nothing wrong, and it deserves the chance to live. I understand it might mess up your future, but… if you can find no other way but abortion… I'm sorry, I just don't admire that. And from what I hear, it _was _consensual. He was your boyfriend, right?"

"Yes," the woman said in a broken voice.

"Did he force himself onto you?"

"…No," she said slowly.

"Then have the baby. It might ruin your own life, but you chose it when you had sex without protection. And with a guy that leaves his own child, nonetheless."

"What if he _did _force himself on me?" she asked. Inuyasha sighed.

"In the end, it's entirely up to you. I can't say 'Do it' or 'Don't do it', and it'll be done. Hell, if I could, then I would have a _long _time ago. What I'm saying right now might have no effect on you whatsoever." Inuyasha paused. "Did you know a baby can smile in your womb? Did you know it can feel pain after only eight days of developing?"

"No," the woman choked out. Inuyasha sighed.

"It's your decision. I gave my own opinion, and now it's your turn to decide." Inuyasha hung up gently.

He sat back, pressing the heels of his palms against his eyes. He was tired. He wanted to see Kagome; it was becoming an obsession. Hell, it already was.

"Thinking of your chickie-boo?" Miroku asked, trying to dispel the tense atmosphere.

"Maybe," Inuyasha muttered, glad for the respite.

"How's it going with your niece?" Miroku asked. The stifling atmosphere subtly changed to become a breathable one.

"She's a great kid. I can't believe she's so _old _now. Of course, she still has a lot of centuries to look forward to," Inuyasha said. Miroku raised a brow.

"Of course," Miroku said.

"She's practically a _baby_," Inuyasha said. He sighed. "She's growing up so fast," he said fondly.

"Do you have a picture?" Inuyasha nodded, fishing out a picture from his wallet. She had sent it to him last Christmas, a Santa hat perched on the top of her head.

"Hot dang," Miroku said. "I don't see why you still think she's a baby. _That _is _definitely _not a baby." Miroku looked up, and was met with two fiery looks from Inuyasha and Sango. He handed the photo back to Inuyasha and winked at Sango, who flushed with anger and was yelling something from behind the glass. He grinned, and turned his attention back to Inuyasha.

"Do you two… have something going on?" Inuyasha asked, his brow raised.

Miroku puffed out his chest, looking ridiculous, and said, "Of course."

"It seems our shock jock Miroku has somewhat of a _crush _with our technician," Inuyasha said into the microphone.

"It's not a _crush_," Miroku said into the microphone, nearly laughing at the look on Sango's face. "It's _love_."

Inuyasha envied not the googly eyes they were making at each other, but Miroku's freedom to tell her his feelings.

Well, they weren't really making eyes at each other either. Sango was fuming behind the glass, pretending to glare, and Miroku looked at her lovingly, his eyes soft.

Inuyasha thought he was going to hurl.

It was one thing to _make _those eyes. It was another to see your best friend do it.

"Now that's just disgusting," Inuyasha said as Miroku practically oozed loving tenderness from his pores.

"I'm sure you do it to Kikyou, too," Miroku said, not pausing as he winked at Sango suggestively. They returned their attention to the phones. The red light was blinking.

"You're on 102.5 FM. What's your topic for the day?" Inuyasha asked lazily. There was a silence, and Inuyasha frowned. "Hello?"

"Hello?" A voice whispered fearfully. Inuyasha tensed, looking at Miroku who had also sat up straighter in his chair. "This is… This is Miharu," said the voice.

"Okay, Miharu… Why are you whispering?"

"Just in case my husband put a tape recorder somewhere. I just had to talk to someone, and this show seemed to be the best at solving people's problems, albeit a bit harshly."

"Okay… why would your husband put a tape recorder in your own house?" Inuyasha asked, although suspicion clawed at his gut. She gave the answer by quickly smothering a sob.

"He… He likes control. I can't…" She took a deep breath. "I can't do anything. He hits me sometimes… I just can't stand living like this anymore. I found out I was pregnant yesterday, and if I lose this baby because he hit me…"

"Leave!" Inuyasha said violently. "Leave the bastard to rot in his own house!"

"I… I can't," the woman sobbed. "I love him too much!"

"That's not _love_!" Inuyasha snarled. He _hated _people like this. They were so desperate not to be alone that they were willing to put up with anything. They would even risk their own children's well being.

"He won't let me see my friends… He won't let me keep my own money… He made me lose my last job… And he--"

"I don't care," Inuyasha said harshly. Miroku gave him a quick, cutting look, but Inuyasha ignored it. "If you're risking your unborn baby to that… that… (Beep), then you might as well stay with him. You won't ever be anything, you won't become anything, and it'll be _your _fault if your baby dies. If you try to leave and he beats you, killing the baby, then it's his fault. When you sit around on your _ass _and don't even _try_… That's when you're letting an evil happen right in front of your nose. Take pictures of your bruises. Divorce him. Put him in jail. Just _do something_!" Inuyasha yelled. It was silent, except for harsh breathing. "I'll even give you a number to call. _Just don't stay with him_. You said so yourself: 'You can't stay with him.'"

"I… I suppose I could try," Miharu said.

"Do better than try," Inuyasha said. He pushed a button that let the rest of the audience hear commercials, then quickly returned to the phone call.

"Miharu, this is the number…" he rattled it off, listened to her whisper it back, then hung up. He made her promise to call as soon as she was far away from her husband. He had even offered his own apartment. Miharu had declined, saying that she needed to get her own control back… by herself. Her forced bravado made him smile tightly. "That's the way you should do it."

* * *

Kagome arrived at her home, and walked in, ready to soak her feet. She got a small basin, and filled it with hot water. Smiling blissfully, she slowly lowered her feet into the water, sighing contentedly. 

Her door opened, and Inuyasha strode in, looking as tired as she was. He lied down on the couch next to her, grunting and laying his head on her lap. She didn't question why he was there, or why he was so moody. She simply ran her hand through his hair, enjoying the silence and just _being_.

"Kagome?" Inuyasha said, his lips moving against the fabric across her stomach. She felt the familiar heat go through her, but continued the slow stroking of his head.

"Hm?"

"If you had a pup--" he ignored the pause in her movements and continued, "--would you ever consider an abortion?" Kagome stared down at his head, flabbergasted.

"No!" she blurted, tugging on his hair. He yelped, glaring up at her. "How could you even _ask _me that?"

"I was just thinking," Inuyasha murmured. After her answer though, he seemed to relax completely. Soon, she could hear his slight snoring, and her own eyes were starting to droop as well.

Grinning, she carefully removed his head from her lap, and headed towards her bedroom. It was _her _turn to sleep on her bed. She climbed in, and interesting enough, felt a twinge of guilt. Then when memory returned, she fell asleep smiling, imagining his head dunking into the feet-water she had left below the couch. Chuckling, she fell asleep easily, knowing he was in the next room.

* * *

**wk**: Wow. What an uneventful chapter, right? Oh well. I suppose this chapter wasn't even really necessary, except for the arrival of Toutousai. The next chapter will include the charity ball! Sorry for the long time taken to update, but I do hope that the length of this chapter covers for it. Now to get to the... 

**_ReViEw oF rEvIeWs_**:

Well, **emerald ash**, I do believe that Inuyasha will be _much _closer next time. Maybe. Mwahaha!! I am evil. Evil, evil, evil...

Haha, that's okay, **o0 DaRkNeSsEz PuRiTy 0o**. Being bossy is better than being bitchy, I always say! And I'm afraid I can't tell you what will happen, because that is giving stuff away. And I absolutely, positively cannot do such a heinous thing! (Grins)

Wow, **twagirl**! I'm so honored! Of course you can... I don't mind at all! (Grins) Gives me more "publicity." Thank you so much for loving my story!

Thanks, **Saiyou the Lover**! Hehe, and we'll see about Inuyasha admitting to Kagome soon. Say, how did you manage to comment five times?

Don't worry, **Forbidden Miko**. Naraku will take action soon. And I don't think Kikyou will be in this story, other than Kagome's cover name. The dead should stay dead, I think.

You'll find out how she'll react, **ChibiKenshin6490**. I can't tell you right now how she'll react! That'll be ruining everything. And Inuyasha does have his insecurites about it. That's really all I can give away. (Smiles) Stick with it, and you'll find out. I don't think I'm going to make this story as long as I was planning with my other story, Neighborly Love.

Thanks, **Amunett**! So supportive... (Sniffles) I thought the relationship might be going too fast, but I guess not. (Grins) I'm so glad this story is working out so well. It's the first writing project I'm really sticking with.

Haha, I'm so glad you liked it so much, **Aryante**! This was the next update. Hope you didn't wait too long for it. (Grimaces)

Slow down, **Inu-Baby18**! Here it is! Here it is! Haha... I'm so glad you liked my story so much. Hope this chapter compensates for the long wait.

Kagome got better, **sapphire pink**! And of course, as a girl myself, I _love _shopping. If I had a credit card, I would be in debt and wouldn't care right now. All those delicious clothes... (Drools) And I honestly haven't thought about Inuyasha slipping Kagome's name in the story, but now that you mention it, I just might...

I loved your story, **WaterGoddess914**! I hope you saw the review I left on your story. It was good.

I updated, **InuKag Fan**! (Grins) Hope you like it!

Hehe... I updated, **binab86**! (Smiles)

Thanks for loving my story, **InuYasha's-1-and-only-lov**. I hope I updated soon enough for you! If I didn't, then I hope the longer chapter was enough compensation. (Grins)

Aren't you lucky, **Corner Girl**... I've been going on virtually no sleep this week, since finals are coming up before Christmas break. Yippie... And I like rambling. It's fun to do when you have nothing to do. (Smiles)

I'm not sure if this is an early Christmas gift, or just a random chapter, **inulova4lyfe**. Either way, hope you liked it!

Yes, well, I made Inuyasha strong in this story. He's not _that _strong though... He'll stop resisting sooner or later. He's getting more and more frustrated, **Shizuka Kaze**, and I don't think he can keep it up for long. Not even in my imagination.

I try to keep a light tone to it, since drama these days only gets me down, **p1dL337074kuFr34k**. I'm warning you though; it might become dramatic once Kagome finds out. I'm glad you like the way my story turned out. I like it too, strangely. (Grins)

I used to think I couldn't write worth... anything, but now, with all these supportive comments flowing in, I just feel like bursting with happiness, **Linkin Park's Fan**. Sounds sappy, I know, but it's true! And I hope you had a nice Thanksgiving! And I also hope you _will _have a nice Christmas and a HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I completely agree, **Sunrider22**. Government conspiracy all the way. They keep tabs on me too, ever since I started writing. I think they have something in my fingers, that allows me to write. How else could I do it, with my itty bitty brain, and all by myself? I'll tell you how: I couldn't. So the government stepped in. This story is actually a result of the finger-controlling freaks.Hehe, some people didn't like the "bluntly announced" thing. They think it might have been _too _blunt. It might have been, but it seemed to fit at the time. And honestly, I never thought of Miroku as the "Comic Relief Guy", but now that you mention it... (Grins) And of course it happens a little more melodramatically in the movies. That's why I decided this story was going to be different. Although, I'm not sure _how. _I'll think of a way. And why would I mind if it was a long review? My review to you is longgggg, too! And I just might use your "Sesshy Quote" later in the story. I like it! Mwahaha! I hope I updated soon enough... (Grins)

Man, I don't believe I have over 200, **hibi**! It's surreal! And yeah, it was a playful thing. Inuyasha thinks of Ayame as his niece. Just putting a bit of canine play into it. And yeah, I know... I find that odd, too. I'm most likely going to make this story's ending drastically different from those fanfics. I like a lot of those fanfics, but I have this _need _to write differently with this story. Call it an insane impulse.

Wow, **Daddy's Pixie**... That's quite impressive. I'm impressed. Like, really impressed. And honored, that you would stay up so late to read fanfics, including mine. And yeah, it was odd, but I hope Inuyasha's explanation in this chapter cleared that up a bit. And at 5:28 in the morning, I'm surprised you have _any _enthusiasm left all. I would be dead.

Thanks, **drake220**! I _do _feel like a queen. My reviews are my gold. Hope your opinion of this chapter is close to the one you gave me last chapter. (Smiles) I still welcome constructive criticism though!

Wow! I didn't know anyone else had this kind of plot in mind **MG8**!Hope you did good in your French class!

They don't know when they realized it, just that they _were_. I think that's the way it should be. Well, that's they way _I _want it, anyway. (Grins) Haha, I'm impressed that you even knew _two _people that read this story, **abstract x heart**. Do you know them personally? I _want _a dragon when I grow up. Imagine: Flying high with a strong dragon between your legs, beating its wings, its bond to you strong... (Sighs) I would _love _it. And no, I don't have an msn, but I _do _have a friend's AIM screenname. Tell me if you want it, and I'll e-mail it to you. And I am _so _honored that you consider this your favorite!

I tried to make it obvious that Kanna was the insider, but that might change in the future. I just kind of randomly threw her in there. I don't know if it'll work out for the best... And sorry, but a masquerade would ruin some surprises I have in store for you guys. I _would _have made it one otherwise. Sorry, **AngelOfDiamonds**!

Hope I udpated soon enough, **xXlovablekdXx**!

Hopefully, it won't be too sad. I'm hoping to keep my little edge of humor, even when it happens, **silentslayer**. Think I should make it dramatic, or light and not too tense? And we'll see about Naraku and Inuyasha.

Thanks, **ladylatina**! This story loves you right back!

Haha... Thank you, **Mizo Sakura**, although I have to disagree. It wasn't organized at all. I just write whatever comes to mind and go with it. It just happens to be dumb luck that made it all work out. (Grins) And I probably updated _later _than you expected, this time. Sorry! And I really don't mind short _or _long reviews. Frankly, I'm just happy you read the story, and took the time to even say "Hi" to me. Thanks so much!

No... I'm afraid it was a number made out of thin air, **lipgloss102**. I've never even been to California, nonetheless listen to the station there.

Haha, honestly, I never even thought about Inuyasha calling Kagome Kikyou, **Fushigi Aoi Tenshi**. How stupid is that? I write the foreshadowing, and I don't even _realize _what I'm foreshadowing. Oh, well, that's what I have my _readers _for! Yay! Hehe, thank you for your support! I greatly appreciate it!

Thanks so much, **Kiyoshiko Yukiinu**! I'm so glad it's not too cliche. That was something I worried about for a while.

Hehe, glad you liked it, **Obsessive Starchaser**! I _loved _using her! I'll probably use her again, like I said. (Grins)

In an ironic twist, it was Kagome that got the bucket of hot water, and Inuyasha got the cold couch... (Snickers) Hehe... In actuality, I feel sorry Inuyasha too, **Iced Faerie**.

Yeah, Inuyasha _should _have been fired as soon as he opened his big trap, but the people loved him, it raised ratings, and so they kept him. That's my explanation, anyway. And thanks for reading, **NefCanuck**! I'm so glad you decided to read my story! (Smiles)

Yay!! I'm a PANTSER, like you, **Leni**! I'm so glad. (Grins) At first, I was confused on how I was going to go about making Inuyasha still be harsh, but worried at the same time. My fingers figured it out for me. Smart, smart fingers they are... (Pets them)

Hehe, thanks, **Keiko89**! Yeah... Suspense is the greatest weapon of a writer. Mwaha! Hope I updated soon enough for you.

I'm so glad that this was the first story you read that fit your genre, **sleep walking chicken and HAP**. And their relationship is getting serious, but I'm trying to keep the wittiness in it. If I'm losing it, please don't hesitate to tell me so.

Inuyasha doesn't hate anyone! No one, I say! And I put my advice in this chapter, via Inuyasha. Hope you don't mind me putting it in the chapter, **melissa**. It seemed like something good to talk about, too. And honestly, I think your friend needs to make the decision herself. You can help her out through the tough times she's having, but really, she got herself into the situation. And if she's going to have the baby, then she needs to learn how to handle it. Sorry if I sound harsh. (Grimaces) I've had this discussion many times with a friend, and we both agree that killing a baby after your own mistake is just wrong. Thanks for sticking with my story, and I hope everything turns out for the best for your friend! Give her and her baby my best.

* * *

**wk**: Okay, that's it for Chapter Ten! I can't believe I made it to chapter ten with **262 **reviews! I am absolutely flabbergasted, and I _have _to thank all my readers, which is why I made **_ReViEw oF rEvIeWs_** in the first place. To thank the readers themselves, because, as cheesy as it sounds, this story would be nowhere without the readers. Aboslutely _nowhere_. So thank you all again, and Merry Christmas, just in case I don't get the next chapter out before Christmas. Happy New Year's!

Have a happy holidays, and thank you again! I love you guys! Every single one of you!


	11. Getting Ready Part Two

**Disclaimer**: Not mineeee....

**wk**: Okay, this would have come out last week, 'cause I've been writing it since I finished the last chapter, but I didn't like it too much, so I rewrote some parts. They might clash with the old version, so please tell me if you get confused. Thanks!

Oh, and by the way: This chapter isn't very eventful either. Mostly a filler chapter. The good stuff will be _next _chapter, promise!

**Chapter Eleven  
Getting Ready Part 2**

Kagome awoke to soft kisses against her eyelashes. Smiling faintly, she reached up to pull him to her mouth, not noticing something wet against her cheek.

It was slow and tender: his tongue in her mouth not invading, but inviting. She held his face between her two palms, her eyes still closed.

When Inuyasha broke away, he stared down at her sleepily flushed face, and smiled. Then pinched her.

"Ow!" Kagome cried, jumping off her bedand rubbing her side.

"That's what you get," Inuyasha said, dripping onto her bed. His whole head was wet. His hair was what she felt as he was kissing her.

"What did _I _do?" Kagome asked, fighting back the urge to laugh. Her lips twitching suspiciously, she huffed with her arms crossed.

"You left your smelly water right under my head. Me, being accustomed to a bed, just rolled right off and _sploosh_! I'm wet, awake, and wet," he growled. Kagome shrugged.

"It's not my fault you don't look before you leap."

"I wasn't even _awake _woman!" Kagome shrugged, her lips still twitching as she saw his dripping hair. Inuyasha glared, then sighed. He reached towards her bedside table, and she noticed the same basin she had used for her feet sitting there. It was filled with water.

"I didn't want to resort to this," Inuyasha said wryly, and before Kagome could run, shriek, hide, or do _anything_, Inuyasha threw the water onto her. She gaped at him through her dripping bangs, gasping as the cold water made her clothes stick to her skin and cling there.

"_And _I had the pleasure of dipping _my _smelly feet into it, too," Inuyasha said, grinning. Kagome stood there, her shocked gaze turning into a murderous glare. Her hands clenched into fists, and Inuyasha briefly wondered if this had been a good idea. Kagome advanced on him, and he had the urge to crawl into a ball and whine. "Your face will get stuck like that if you're not too careful," he drawled, pointing at her scowl.

With an angry cry, she launched herself on him. They wrestled on the bed, wetting the sheets and making the pillows damp. Inuyasha finally pinned her struggling under him, and straddled her waist. Grinning down at her, he leaned down and took her lobe into his mouth. He heard her little sharp intake of breath, and smiled, and whispered into her ear, "As much as I _love _tohave a tusslein bed with you, duchess, we need to get ready for the stupid ball." His hand reached under her to flatten against her back and push her upright.

"I'm not forgiving you," Kagome said as her arms went around his neck and her mouth tilted up to look for his.

"Glad to hear that," Inuyasha murmured against her mouth. When he pulled away, she was like liquid, flowing against him and shaking softly. He rubbed his hands up and down her arms, and she pulled away from him.

Her eyes widened in astonishment as she processed their positions. She was between his legs, clinging to him by the shoulders. Then her eyes widened in surprise and then in anger as she looked at the dripping walls, and the wet carpet.

"You're cleaning that up," she hissed at Inuyasha. He pulled away completely, snorting as he climbed out of her bed.

"In your dreams, wench," he sneered. Kagome's eyes narrowed.

"Excuse me?" she said lowly, which signaled the coming of her anger... again.Inuyasha wondered if he should just wring out the carpet and wipe down the walls to be over with it. As he saw the temper flash in her eyes, he grinned. Nah.

"Well, I said 'In your--'"

"I know what you said!"

"Then why ask?"

"Just clean it!"

"It'll dry on its own!"

Soon they were shouting at each other, and Kagome was out of the bed, poking her finger into his chest. Nearly broke her finger on his chest, too. _Insufferable prick! _Kagome thought viciously.

"Well, aren't you just a cup of sunshine in the morning?" Inuyasha asked sarcastically. Kagome growled, her teeth clicking together as she quickly thought of biting him. Rip a good chunk out of him.

She had no idea that he was doing it on purpose, to see her anger light up her face and make her rosy and flushed. His mouth was on hers the next instant, and she quickly bit his lower lip hard, before the fire took over.

"Ow!" Inuyasha cried out, pulling away and staring at her in astonishment. A drop of blood formed on his lip. Kagome instantly felt guilty but wasn't ready to let go of her temper.

"You deserved it, you butt!" Kagome yelled. Inuyasha wiped the blood off with the back of his hand, his eyes narrowing.

"Wench, you are a pain in the ass," Inuyasha said. Kagome's guilt disappeared.

"_I'm _a pain in the… I don't think so!" she yelled. She pushed him as hard as she could, but he only staggered back an inch before locking his arms around her. Grinning down at her, he rubbed his nose against hers, then nipped it in punishment for his own pain. With a yelp and trying to bring her hand up to rub her nose, she growled at him. She wrinkled her nose, twitching. Inuyasha laughed. Then he kissed her.

Kagome felt his apology in his kiss, felt the underlying amusement. She ran her tongue over the sore in his lip in apology and he shuddered, bringing her tighter to him if that was possible. He led her to the bed, and she went willingly, neither breaking the kiss. He laid her down on it, and he was between her legs. He broke the kiss suddenly, groaning brokenly.

"Kagome, I can't keep stopping," Inuyasha said hoarsely, his words barely comprehensible. His arms loosened around her, enabling her to wriggle her own arms from his hold.

"Then don't," Kagome murmured, her hands running down his back. He lifted his head, his eyes wide. Then he groaned again.

"Kagome, don't toy with me right now," he said roughly.

"I'm not," she said reassuringly. She flicked the tip of his ear playfully, and he stiffened.

She gasped as she felt his tongue caress her throat. He nipped on the junction of her neck and shoulder, and sucked on it, drawing the mark out. He blew on it, and she squirmed underneath him. Inuyasha kissed the bottom of her chin softly, then moved to plunder her mouth.

This is it, Kagome thought wildly, her body moving up boldly to meet his.

His hand moved slowly over her breast, and she gasped into his mouth.

She still doesn't know.

Inuyasha pulled away quickly as that thought formed in his head. He wouldn't make love to her until she knew that he was doing it because he loved her, and not because he was doing it for some radio show. That's what happened in the movies, anyway. They had sex, he said he loved her, and _then _told her that he was doing something about her secretly behind her back. She, of course, thought that feelings and everything was staged because of the lie. He was determined not to lose Kagome over something so stupid as a radio program.

Was he going to lose her anyway when he told her?

Inuyasha refused to think about it as he felt Kagome's hand slide over his shoulder to his chest. She hugged him from behind, her forehead pressed against the back of his neck.

"What happened this time?" she asked. Inuyasha sighed.

"There's something I have to tell you. But not right now. I'll tell you tomorrow, after the ball and everything is done and over with," Inuyasha said. He turned slightly, and brought Kagome around to his lap. "And then… It's up to you," he said. Kagome stared at him, saw the dilemma behind his eyes.

"…Okay," she said slowly, if a little puzzled.

"Okay? That's all you have to say?" he asked. Kagome frowned.

"What else do you expect me to say?" she snapped. Then, more softly, "I trust you." Inuyasha winced, and Kagome noticed. "What are you hiding from me, exactly?"

"Tomorrow," Inuyasha promised. Then he drew a deep breath, and drew her stiff body up against his. "I'll tell you tomorrow."

* * *

"Yeah," Kagome said into the phone. "Yeah, I know, Myouga. Nothing will go wrong Myouga! Yes, I had Kanna send a personal invitation from me to Naraku. _Yes_, Myouga. I don't _know _how Naraku knows all the things he does, just that he _does_!" Kagome said into the phone angrily. Ever since she found out Inuyasha was hiding something from her, she was in an irritable mood. 

Still, at least he had come out and _told _her he had something to tell her. He received… oh, maybe half a point for that.

Sighing, she listened to Myouga's chatter. "Yes, Myouga. Okay. Yeah, I'll be there on time. Yes, Myouga." She sighed again as she hung up.

"Is he being an ass?" Inuyasha asked from behind her, facedown on the bed. Kagome returned the phone to the bedside table, and curled up against him again. Secret or no secret, she still liked the warmth he gave her.

"Unbelievably so," Kagome said in answer to his question. He grunted and threw his arm over her waist, drawing her into his side. "What about Ayame?"

"She called last night. That's how I woke up _cold _and _alone _on the couch at midnight. I told her I would be staying the night here." Kagome pushed against him, staring at him, a mortified blush covering her cheeks.

"You told her _what_?" she shrieked. "She's gonna think--"

"She's going to think that I did something I wanted to do. And I did," Inuyasha murmured.

"No you didn't," Kagome blurted. Inuyasha sighed.

"Okay, so we didn't fuck--"

"Don't use that word," Kagome hissed. It was such a crude word for the beautiful union she had in mind.

"Okay, so we didn't jump each other's bones--" Kagome sighed. "--but I _did _get to feel you up and make out with you."

"Right… Like that's all you wanted?" Kagome asked teasingly, running a fingertip down the side of his face, then rubbed his ear.

"You keep that up and I just might enjoy myself… _fully_," Inuyasha said, his hand coming up to still her fingers. Kagome blew out a breath, tugging and freeing her hand.

"Well, it's not like I didn't give you permission to," she said. "You're just keeping something from me. Something that I won't like."

"Why do you think it's something you won't like?" Inuyasha asked, his brow rising. Kagome snorted.

"Only by common sense. If it was something good, you would have told me before, during, and after making love," Kagome said. Inuyasha was silent a moment, then nodded.

"You're good."

"So it's something I don't like."

"Most likely."

"Will I skin you alive?" Inuyasha wished that was all she would do. Unfortunately, she would just tear out his heart, chew it, spit it up, stomp on it, let the dogs have their way with it, and then do the worst by walking away from his dying heart.

God, he was so melodramatic.

"Most likely," Inuyasha said again tightly. Kagome sighed.

"Just tell me now and get it over with." Inuyasha shook his head.

"I don't want to ruin our evening. Besides…" he skimmed a finger to the small of her back, and traced small circles, making her gasp and press into him. Just like that, his blood turned hot, and he barely managed to hold himself back from taking her. "I want to see you in that dress."

Whoever said that he didn't have any control at all, he would blast them to hell and back for their mistaken conceptions. If he was keeping himself from having his way with Kagome on _her _bed while she was pliant and giving, he had better control than anyone else in this whole damn world.

He wished he didn't.

Kagome was suddenly straddling him, leaning down and rubbing her lips against his. He pushed her off roughly, making sure she landed on the bed. She didn't move from her prone position, staring up at her ceiling.

"That's some control, Mr. Inuyasha," Kagome said. Inuyasha nodded.

"I think so, too. But's it's barely hanging there. It's caught by a single… slight… thread," Inuyasha said, leaning over her. Kagome smiled up at him then pushed him away, walking to the bathroom.

"I'm going to take a shower. Then, you are going to take me and Ayame to the salon, where we'll be pampered and made up before the stupid ball," Kagome said. Inuyasha brow shot up.

"I am?"

"You surely are. You should call Ayame so she can get ready," Kagome said as she shut the door.

Inuyasha sighed, taking out his cell phone and dialing his home number. A sleepy Ayame answered, making him chuckle.

"Hello, wolf-girl," he said.

"Hello, dog-man," Ayame replied with a yawn.

"Kagome wants me to tell you to get ready. She's going to get pampered, and wants you to come with her."

"Oh, that sounds wonderful! I'll be ready soon then," Ayame said, fully awake now. Inuyasha sighed.

"I better get that damn hot water for my feet by tomorrow," Inuyasha said grumpily, pouting. Then he remembered he was going to tell Kagome his secret tomorrow. Yeah, he was gonna be in hot water then. Being boiled alive. He shuddered.

He walked into the bathroom, ignoring Kagome's shriek of indignant modesty. He didn't know why she was so outraged. He couldn't even see her outline through that dark blue shower curtain. Her head popped out, and he met her eyes through the mirror.

"What the heck are you doing in here?" Kagome yelled, her hair dripping water onto the tiled floor. Inuyasha shrugged. He grabbed a toothbrush, and showed it to Kagome.

"I wanted to brush my teeth," Inuyasha said, and squirted a good amount of toothpaste on to it.

"Get out!" Kagome wailed, and he could tell she was bouncing up and down, by the way her head moved.

"Let me brush my teeth!" Inuyasha said, sticking the toothbrush into his mouth. He brushed quickly, and glared back at Kagome, who was drilling holes through him with her intent stare at the back of his head.

"You're a pervert!" Kagome said, before her head disappeared behind the curtain again.

"It's not my fault you don't lock any doors!" Inuyasha yelled, toothpaste flying. Kagome stuck her head out again, but before she could yell at him, she started to laugh. "What?" he yelled again, more toothpaste flying. It only served to make her laugh harder.

"You look like a mad dog!" Kagome laughed gleefully, her head disappearing again.

Inuyasha growled, turning towards the mirror. And because he _did _look like a mad dog, he rinsed out his mouth, then clearly shouted, "I do not!"

"You did, too!" Came the tinkling laugh in the shower.

Inuyasha got a sly smile on his face, and moved towards the door. He opened it, and closed it, then slunk silently against the wall, right next to her shower. He heard it open a little, as she popped her head out to see if he was really gone. He was sitting against the wall, low so that his reflection wouldn't show in the mirror. He listened as she hummed to herself and went back to her shower.

He was going to embarrass her, and get a good look for himself while he was at it. It was the perfect plan.

Wildly, he wondered if he could control himself this time.

He knew he couldn't.

He staggered towards the door, and just about reached it before he heard her shut the water off, and open the curtain. He was still a bit sideways from the tub, so she wouldn't see him unless she looked at the mirror. He saw a slim, damp leg emerge, and his heart thundered in his ears. That slim leg was dripping water, daintily stepping onto the cold tile.

He was going to have a hard-on for the rest of his life from the image.

He nearly groaned out loud, when the rest of her emerged. She had a towel wrapped around her. She looked into the mirror as she emerged, blinked as she saw Inuyasha. She flushed, wrapping the towel tighter around herself.

Inuyasha saw her long slim legs, and they seemed to go up to her ears. Her hair was in wet tendrils around her face, her face rosy from the hot water and her embarrassment. The towel barely covered the essentials, skimming her thighs and her breasts plumped by how tight she had tied her towel.

"Oh God," he did groan, and the sound seemed to snap Kagome out of her bashful stupor. He was hit in the head by a bar of soap, and the next thing he knew, he was being chased out of the bathroom by several items, and her screams.

"You pervert!" She shrieked, coming out of the bathroom in a rage. She quickly went to her closet, and put on panties and a bra. "I thought you _left_! What if I hadn't put a towel on the rack inside of the shower?"

"That's what I was counting on," Inuyasha muttered outside, tightly.

She stormed out, wearing tight jeans and a large sweater. "You butthole! You jerk! You pervert!" she fumed. "Peeping Tom! Doo-doo head!"

"Doo-doo head?" Inuyasha repeated incredulously.

"Poo-face!" Kagome ranted on, until Inuyasha caught her wrist and pulled her sharply down into his lap. She struggled, growling ferociously before he groaned again. She froze, her gaze going to his face.

"Please… Don't move for a second," Inuyasha said in a strained tone. Kagome obeyed, her eyes wide. Inuyasha took a deep breath, then another.

He nibbled her lower lip, pulling it with his teeth before moving her away from him.

"That was the sexiest thing I've ever seen," Inuyasha said, a shudder going through his body. Kagome remained silent, staring at him from her spot.

Inuyasha's face became hard, his mouth becoming a thin line.

"Let's go. I don't think we can remain alone for the rest of the day," Inuyasha said tightly. Kagome nodded, but her eyes glanced down, towards the crotch of his jeans. Blushing furiously, she turned her head quickly away.

"Maybe we should at least wait until you've… ah… calmed down some," Kagome muttered. Inuyasha looked down at himself, a bit amusedly.

"Think I can use your shower for a cold one?" Inuyasha asked. Kagome shrugged, and despite herself, found her mouth watering from the image in her own head. It was amusing to think that only a few weeks ago, she had been adamantly against him getting naked anywhere _near _her. Now she was ready to join him.

This painful longing had to end soon. He was the one that started this darn relationship, so he better finish it, by God! She had never known sexual frustration could be such an acute torture.

Inuyasha went into the shower, groaned as he saw the shower. Maybe he should've just used his own. He quickly stripped off his clothes, stepped into the shower, and snapped the water to cold. He shivered as he felt the icy blast of it against his skin. Still, it managed to calm him, and he sighed.

He didn't know what he was going to do after she walked away. Sleeping with another woman was out of the question now. He wasn't even remotely attracted to any other woman the way he was to Kagome. So this was it. He would have to live a life of celibacy.

Oh Lord. How depressing.

He stepped out quickly, drying himself off and was about to step back into his clothes when he blanched. Did he have to use the same underwear?

He wrapped the towel around his waist, and walked out.

Kagome felt her breath strangle in her lungs, and her legs give out from underneath as she sat hard on the bed. Her heart had stopped beating, she was sure of it.

He was a fine male specimen indeed, Kagome thought a bit bemusedly. Now she knew how he felt when he saw her.

"Do you think you can buy me some underwear?" Inuyasha asked. Kagome blinked at the odd question. "I forgot I didn't bring any with me."

Kagome nodded slightly, wondering if there was actual drool running down her chin. She mentally picked her jaw up from the floor, rolled her tongue back up, and tore her eyes from his body. When she looked up at his face, she saw that he was smirking. Scowling at him, she grabbed her keys and walked out.

* * *

They arrived at Inuyasha's apartment to find Ayame waiting for them outside. 

"What took you guys so long?" Ayame asked, climbing into the back seat of Kagome's silver car.

"I needed clean underwear," Inuyasha drawled. Ayame's eyes narrowed, and her nose twitched.

"But you didn't…"

"I took a shower there," Inuyasha explained. Ayame nodded as understanding dawned. She snickered then.

"So you guys didn't do the dirty-dirty?" Ayame asked. Kagome blushed, her hands tightening on the wheel.

"'Fraid not," Inuyasha said, leaning back. "Although we both got a good eyeful."

"Inuyasha!" Kagome moaned, unable to believe he was really telling his _niece _these things.

"Okay, okay, I'll stop," Inuyasha said, grinning. Kagome drove to a nearby spa, and walked in with Inuyasha and Ayame. Inuyasha blinked as he saw Miroku and Sango in the corner.

"Oy!" He called to Miroku. He had cucumber slices on his eyes, and he carefully peeled them off, leaving round circles for his eyes amongst the green goo that covered his face. He had a towel wrapped around his head turban style.

"Inuyasha?" Miroku asked, and grinned. Kagome looked bewildered.

"This is my… uh… roommate, the one I told you about," Inuyasha said. Sango peeled her cucumber slices off as well, peering at Inuyasha. "What the hell are you guys doing?" Inuyasha asked, eyeing Miroku's white women's robe, and the green goo dripping onto it.

"Myouga didn't tell you? He invited us, too," Miroku said. He turned to Kagome. "You must be Kagome. Inuyasha speaks of you a lot." He sat back down and placed the cucumber slices back onto his face. "You know, this is really relaxing," he murmured. Inuyasha shook his head.

"You're a freakin' weirdo. Oh, the girl over there is Sango," Inuyasha said to Kagome. Sango peeled one slice off, and said hello to Kagome. Kagome laughed, shaking hands with her.

"Interesting friends you have," Kagome said to Inuyasha, gesturing to Miroku.

"I never knew women had it so well!" Miroku was saying enthusiastically from his prone position. A few women came and lifted his feet to dip them into water as they treated him to a pedicure. "Inuyasha, you should try this!"

Inuyasha snorted. "Yeah, he's weird all right. Sango's sane, though," Inuyasha said.

Sango peeled off a cucumber slice to agree with Inuyasha, when she noticed that Miroku's cucumber slices were off, and he was ogling some of the working ladies. The next thing they knew, the workers were trying to appease a mad Sango, and a helpless Miroku with a red cheek and a swollen eye.

"I don't know _why _I _ever _agreed to go out with you!" Sango yelled, and Kagome blinked at the information.

"It's because you love me, Sango dearest-- Ow!" Miroku dodged her elbow narrowly, twisting in the chair while the one who had been doing his pedicure barely missed being kicked.

"Yeah, um… Okay… Never mind," Inuyasha said slowly. "On second thought, I don't know you guys, and you don't know me."

"Now, now… Inu dear, you know you love us," Miroku said, grinning although his swollen eye looked painful. Kagome winced as she looked at it. Sango noticed the flinch, and sighed.

"It'll be gone by the end of this afternoon. He's used to it by now. If you notice him staring at any body parts of yours, or his hand _wanders _to certain body parts of yours--"

"He'll be sporting another purple eye," Kagome said fiercely, making Miroku wince.

"Ah… Nothing like a lady's love," Miroku said wryly. He sat back, and placed the cucumber slices on his face again.

"Nothing like _my_...er… feelings," Inuyasha said, making sure he didn't say the word _love_. Kagome felt the pain flash through her, but didn't say anything. "You touch Kagome, I'll tear off your hands, give them as souvenirs to each of these ladies here, then tear off your feet and make you _eat _them." Miroku paled.

"Nothing like Inu's love," Miroku said a bit shakily. Inuyasha nearly corrected him for saying "love," but an employeeinterrupted him.

"Do you want the same treatment?" A woman asked. Kagome nodded, ignoring the hurtful feelings Inuyasha had caused.

"One for me, the other young lady, and dare I say… Inuyasha?"

"Hell no!"

"Okay, just for us two, then."

They were dressed in white robes and led to two chairs that were facing Sango and Miroku, and they were directed to lie back on it. They were soon covered with green goo, their own cucumber slices placed carefully on top of their eyes.

Inuyasha sat in a waiting chair, jiggling his leg impatiently. Now why didn't he bring a book?

It was almost an hour later, and Kagome, Ayame, Sango, and Miroku had quickly become the best of friends. Inuyasha was sleeping on the couch.

"You know, Inuyasha really _does _talk a lot about you," Miroku said. "He talks about you nearly everyday." Kagome was lit with a inner glow at the information.

"Really? Whatever he says are lies, I promise," Kagome said.

"So you're not a sexy chic that has a promising attitude and a sweet little ass--" Miroku cut himself off as Sango gave him a warning look. Kagome laughed.

"Okay, maybe not _all _he says," Kagome amended jokingly, unaware that they were talking about something entirely different.

"You're horrible!" Sango hissed at Miroku. Miroku shrugged.

"She has the right to know," Miroku whispered back. Kagome watched the interaction, although she couldn't hear what was being said.

"Something wrong?" Kagome asked. They both turned to her, shaking their heads. The green goo had been wiped off of everyone's faces, and Ayame sighed in contentment.

"You know, this is a wonderful vacation before I start college," Ayame murmured.

"Mm…" They all agreed.

"I hear from Myouga that you invited everyone in the company," Miroku said. "How are you planning to fit them all in one building?"

"I'm not," Kagome said, then explained. "Most of the employees won't show up. They'd rather take the time off for their families. In fact, Myouga had a meeting with every employee, telling them that he'd rather they spend time having fun, rather than at a drab, stupid party. Most agreed enthusiastically.

"I see. Myouga's smarter than he looks," Miroku said. Kagome looked at him, surprised.

"You've seen him before?"

"In a picture Inuyasha has in his wallet. I've talked to him over the phone plenty of times," Miroku replied. Kagome nodded, and sat back, looking down at her perfectly cared-for toes.

"Well, it's time to go do the hair now, ladies. After that, the men go ahead and wait for us at the party," Kagome said. Ayame sighed wistfully.

"I wish I had a man to go with," Ayame said. Kagome chuckled.

"You will soon enough. If Inuyasha doesn't shred him to pieces."

"That's the problem. I need someone who isn't afraid of Uncle Inu," Ayame said wryly. Kagome sighed.

"Where to find such a brave and foolish man?" Kagome murmured.

"Well, I could be--"

"They weren't talking to you, Miroku!"

Kagome and Ayame watched Sango drag Miroku outside.

"They're dating?" Ayame asked again. Kagome shook her head, shrugging.

They both went to wake Inuyasha up, who wasn't happy to be woken up.

"What took so damn long?" he tried to yell while yawning.

"We were getting _ready_. It takes time, Inuyasha," Kagome said haughtily. It was so unlike her that Ayame and Inuyasha both started laughing.

"Oh, please, duchess," Inuyasha laughed out. "You would rather _die _then to receive all that pampering for a low price. The only reason why you tip them so much is because you feel guilty to feel nice." Jackpot. Kagome winced inwardly.

"Well, anyways," she said hastily. "Let's go get our hair done now. I'm sure Miroku has a lot to do with that mop of his."

"Wow, you've bonded with him that quickly? Quickly enough to start insulting him?" Inuyasha asked, his brow raising.

"We had some girl time together. The man knows his female ideologies," Kagome said as they walked out after paying.

"I'm sure he does," Inuyasha mumbled. They all went in Miroku's SUV, so that it would save gas. It was a midnight blue, and high off the ground. Inuyasha had to help Kagome into the seat above.

They went to a hair salon of Sango's choice, since she said she knew a _superb_ place. And it _was_. It wasn't all that expensive either.

By the time all their hair was done, Inuyasha and Miroku were both sleeping against each other.

Kagome blew a tendril of hair out of her face. "Well isn't that sweet. I do believe we have some competition, Sango," Kagome said. Sango laughed, then shoved Miroku's leg with her toe. He snorted, then came to. When he was awake, he made a disgusted noise and shoved Inuyasha on to the floor. Inuyasha, with his good reflexes however, saved himself some of the pain, looking wildly around. He calmed down, sitting on the couch again.

"You girls are just too much time," Inuyasha said, his hand going to his temple. "Just a _huge _waste of time." Before Ayame and Sango could do anything, Kagome gave Inuyasha a cold look and whisked out. Cursing colorfully, he lurched to his feet, still not fully awake.

He followed Kagome out clumsily, noticing that the wind was playing with her sexy hairdo.

"Kagome," Inuyasha said slowly. Kagome turned a bit, giving him a freezing look. It was colder than the crisp night air. He shivered. "I didn't mean that directly at you. I was just joking." She relaxed.

"So you didn't mean that I'm just a waste of your valuable time?" Kagome asked scathingly, although the fight had already left her. She trusted that he was telling the truth. If he were tired of her, he would have left her already, right?

"Right. I just meant that I lost some sleep last night, since _somebody_ left me on the cold, lonely couch," Inuyasha teased, drawing Kagome into the warm circle of his arms. "Forgive and forget?"

"Forgiven and forgotten," Kagome replied, touching her lips to his. "I just don't know where I stand with you. You need to tell me these things. It's not like I'm exactly experienced in this matter," she muttered into his throat.

He tilted her chin up, gave her a long, thorough kiss that had her newly done hair curling. "_That's _where you stand with me," Inuyasha murmured. _At least until tomorrow_. _Then I won't know where _I _stand with _you.

"How nice," Kagome murmured back.

"Look at that dear," Miroku's voice said. "Isn't it nice to see the young people just get it on in the cold, dark night?" A pause. "You wanna-- Oof!" Sango's elbow went into Miroku's midriff.

"Fuck off, Miroku," Inuyasha growled, relinquishing his hold on Kagome.

"I would be happy to, if only Sango--" A slap resounded, and Kagome was laughing at their antics.

"You perverted--"

"Does this remind you of a scene _we _had today?" Inuyasha asked Kagome, grinning. Kagome huffed, crossing her arms.

"Now _that _isn't exactly forgiven _or _forgotten," she said. Inuyasha laughed, drawing her back into his arms again. It felt so _right _to have her there, pouting up at him with her eyes laughing.

Before he could kiss her, she drew away, her eyes twinkling.

"Now you guys have to drop us off and go to the dance after you've danced. It's Myouga's thing. Something about finding a long lost love," Kagome said. "It's the theme of the ball."

"What about me?" Ayame wailed, her lower lip sticking out in a comical gesture. Kagome laughed.

"It'll be like speed-dating. Whoever doesn't have a date, you get to pounce on," Kagome said. She gave a sly look at Inuyasha. "Maybe I should--"

"Don't even think it, wench," Inuyasha growled. Even the _hint _that she would look at someone else the way she looked at him made him see red.

They all piled into the car again, and roared off. Ayame, Sango, and Kagome all shrieked when Inuyasha started to lower a window. He gave them a startled look.

"What?" Inuyasha asked.

"You'll mess up our hair!" All three yelled. Inuyasha's ears flattened, and he quickly raised the window.

"Okay, okay…" he muttered, sitting back sullenly.

Miroku dropped them off, and Inuyasha tried everything under the sun to try to come too. He tried for as long as Sango went to the trunk to retrieve her own dress. Honestly, he was _dying _with curiosity. Kagome hadn't let him see her dress. Not even a glimpse.

"Damn her," Inuyasha seethed as Miroku drove away from the parking lot.

"You'll get to see her at the party. You spend nearly every waking moment with her anyway," Miroku said. Inuyasha scoffed.

"Not nearly enough. I spend half the day working," Inuyasha said. Miroku shook his head.

"If someone told me a month ago you would be obsessively in love with a girl, I would have laughed myself sick after spitting in the person's eye for the obvious lie," Miroku said seriously. Inuyasha shrugged. So he _was _obsessively in love. His life was split into two categories: Pre-Kagome and Post-Kagome.

"I want to see the fucking dress," Inuyasha whined. Miroku gave a grin.

"Sango let me see hers. In fact, she modeled it for me before we--"

"_Don't _go there!" Inuyasha said, his hands going over his already-flattened ears. "I do _not _want to hear about your sex life!"

"Oh. Well. I was going to say before we went out to eat, but I see someone's mind is in the gutter," Miroku said, smirking. Inuyasha glared at him.

"Puh-leeze. You were going to talk about your sex life, you damned pervert. Don't think I don't know you." Miroku shrugged.

"So maybe I was, maybe I wasn't. We're at your place," Miroku said hopping out. He went to his trunk, taking out the box that held his tuxedo.

"This thing cost a bundle," Miroku said lovingly, stroking the box. Inuyasha shuddered.

"So did mine. And I don't even remotely _like _it. By the end of tonight, it's going to be shredded."

"What's the brand?" Miroku asked. Inuyasha thought, not remembering.

"I dunno." They went into his apartment, and Inuyasha went to get his own box, stashed in his closet for safekeeping. They both went into their own respective rooms, changing into the extravagant clothes. Inuyasha emerged, the first button of his shirt undone, and the jacket over it tucked back behind his arms as he kept his hands in his pockets. He had no tie, and his collar was up. Miroku came out a few minutes later, his tie perfectly tied and everything tucked in nicely and immaculate. Inuyasha stared.

"Are you sure you're not homosexual?" Inuyasha asked. Miroku rolled his eyes.

"Sango taught me how to tie the tie," Miroku said. Inuyasha's eyebrows shot up.

"Sango knows how to tie a tie?"

"How much wood can a woodchuck chuck, if a woodchuck could chuck wood?" Miroku stated in a sing-song-voice, and eyed Inuyasha. Gasping, he grabbed a sleeve. "Yours is _Armani_? No wonder it cost you a bundle! I would have had to clear out my credit cards and my bank account to buy this _one_!" Miroku shouted. Inuyasha tugged his sleeve back and shrugged carelessly.

"It was stupidly expensive, but Kagome like this one the best," he muttered, and winced. Even he sounded whipped to his own ears. Miroku didn't seem to notice. Well, duh. Miroku was Sango's bitch, as far as Inuyasha was concerned.

"I got something for Kagome, too. You better not laugh," Inuyasha warned as he went back into his bedroom. When he had found the time at the mall, while the girls had been in the dress store, he had gone shopping himself in secret. He had bought a beautiful set of diamond earrings, and a long diamond necklace with a flaring black stone on the bottom. He had to dip into his bank account quite a bit for it, but he had enough money. All the money he had earned had gone straight into his account, only keeping money for essentials, such as food and bills. That's why he was living in an apartment when he could have been living in a fairly large house. He believed in saving money, something his half-brother and his father had taught him.

Thinking about his family made his nose crinkle. His father and mother had died, when Inuyasha was three. He remembered his old man telling him to put his money in a wise place all the time, since people always took advantage of their own money and ended up with nothing in the end.

He eyed the large, flat box he held as he walked out. Well, he would end up with nothing because of this. If this didn't prove his love to Kagome, he didn't know what would. He supposed he was sucking up a bit before he broke the news to her.

Hey, Kagome, here's some gaudy jewelry. I love you. I lied to you. He winced in his own head.

"What the…" Miroku trailed off as Inuyasha held out the box. Miroku took it silently, and his eyes widened as he opened the box. "Jesus, Lord, God, Buddha, Allah, Shiva, Zeus…" Miroku murmured. Then his eyes narrowed. "You're looking to kill me," Miroku said. Puzzled, Inuyasha just stared at Miroku.

"This... isn't for you," Inuyasha said slowly. Miroku glanced at him, scowling.

"I know it'snot for me, but I have to match this to Sango? Unbelievable," Miroku muttered. Inuyasha laughed, taking back the box, closing it. "She'll jump your bones."

"That's what I'm hoping for," Inuyasha drawled, the corner of his mouth going up. Miroku laughed, clapping a hand to Inuyasha's shoulder.

* * *

"My God, Kagome… Where were you hiding that body?" Ayame asked, as Kagome walked out of the bathroom blushing. Her blush went all the way down to her chest, which Sango and Ayame could both see because of the low cut dress. 

"How could you tell which side was the back and which was the front?" Sango asked, eyeing the silky material. It really _was _exquisite though. It wasn't skimpy, not the way where it barely covered the nipples and left little to the imagination.

"You know, I really don't know," Kagome muttered, fingering the bottom of the back of the dress. The pieces over her breasts were wide, covering everything except the inside, where the slit went down to the bottom of her chest. Then it was tied at the back of her neck, and the rest of the dress was long, the slit on the side showcasing some of her slim legs. It was long though, and Kagome had to hold it.

"Damn, Kagome… Why were you bashful about that?" Ayame asked, going into the bathroom for her turn to change. "It's beautiful. And it's not like you have overly large, sagging boobs," she said from behind the door.

"Thanks," Kagome mumbled.

"It really is beautiful," Sango said next to Kagome. "Who's the designer?"

"Nanami," Kagome said, feeling a burst of accomplishment. People were going to ask about the dress and she was successfully going to advertise it for Nanami. It was the least she could do for the old lady.

"I've never heard of her," Sango said. She fingered Kagome's dress. "I should go check it out," Sango murmured. Kagome smiled brilliantly.

"You should!" Kagome said emphatically. "Just wait until you see Ayame's! Hers is just _perfect_." As if on cue, Ayame stepped out in all her splendor, grinning in heels. Winking and blowing a kiss as some of her curls bounced, she looked like a fun, green fairy, in a very sexy dress.

"Definitely gonna have to go see her," Sango said.

Ayame twirled around, grinning. "This feels great! I've never worn a dress like this!"

"Yes you have… In the dressing room at Nanami's," Kagome said. Ayame stuck her tongue out at Kagome.

"I mean to a formal occasion, dummy," Ayame said.

"Well, you only _got _it a few days ago," Kagome said. Ayame shrugged, fingering the strap of her dress.

"Okay, my turn," Sango said. She swept into the bathroom. Ayame and Kagome joked and chatted as they waited. Kagome also donned the gloves while they were waiting.

Sango came out, and Kagome and Ayame turned their heads to look.

Sango was in a sleeveless dress, and the dress stopped midthigh. Self-consciously, she tugged on it. There were slight slits on the sides, and Sango also had heels that made her legs seem impossibly long.

"Miroku's going to _die_," Kagome muttered. Sango blushed.

"Actually, he's already seen me in this dress," Sango said. Kagome's brow lifted, as Sango's blush deepened.

"I… see," Kagome said slowly, and did. They all grabbed wraps the color of their dresses more or less, to ward off the chill from their arms.

They climbed into Kagome's car, all of them laughing as they stumbled in heels. Except for Ayame. She seemed like she was born in them, walking and even running in them effortlessly. Sango and Kagome only watched enviously.

They drove to the ball, finding a parking space that was unfortunately, far from the entrance. They walked through the chilly winter night, all of the shivering and rubbing their arms as they walked in. But it gave them a rosy look, and their hair sexily tossed. Somebody there took their purses into a small room, so they were left with free hands.

As they walked through huge double doors, they looked down. It was a grand staircase, going down on each side to the ballroom below. It was like out of a fairy tale. It looked like Cinderella's prince's palace, and Kagome felt like Cinderella as she stood at the top of the stairs and looked down. She was going to meet her prince. Again.

She started down, Sango and Ayame on each side of her, all of them holding onto each other's arms so that no one would trip in their heels. They laughed as they went down, unaware of all the eyes on them, unaware of the three blistering pairs of eyes.

* * *

**wk**: Yay! Chapter eleven is done! And I'm a quarter done with chapter twelve, too! Although since Christmas break started, I might not have enough time to finish it, because I'm working _everyday _except for Christmas. And... uh... Christmas is family time, so no time there, either. Sorry folks! I _will _try to finish it before Christmas, but no guarantees. 

Now for...

**_ReViEw oF rEvIeWs_**:

Haha, well, **Daddy's Pixie**, anyone's very high in my book if they were able to get up at 5 in the morning voluntarily. And hooray for your ungrounding! Strangely enough, _I'm _grounded, but not from the computer (Thank the lord!) And I _think _I passed my classes... At least I better have, if I want to live to see January. And I thought Inuyasha just coming out and telling her the lie was more his style rather than sneaking around. Good or bad? Give me your opinion, please! And Merry Christmas!

I don't care that you didn't review before, **XxDemonic-PrincessxX**! Just as long as you read it. (Winks) Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Merry Christmas!

No, I didn't give up, **shaid**. How could I give up a story where my readers are so convincingly supportive? And Ayame will meet Kouga soon. VERY soon. As in, next chapter soon. Kind of inevitable, considering they'll be at the same party. And I love your version of Inuyasha telling the people that he really doesn't deserve her love, but he has it anyway. But yeah, I'm too lazy to change it now. Maybe when I go through and edit, if I'm going to edit after I'm done with the story. And I'm glad you have such an open mind. _This _chapter I didn't like as much, and I'm not too sure why. Maybe I'll figure it out later. Merry Christmas!

Thanks, **emerald ash**! I don't like abortion either. (Sighs) But so many women agree with it. I just _know _that even if I was raped, I couldn't kill anything that was my own flesh and blood. It's murder in my eyes. And after I saw the pictures of partial-birth abortions... Let's just say I'm adamantly against it. And yes, Ayame will meet Kouga. Next chapter, in fact, unless I change it. For some reason, I don't like the next three chapters I have written out. Yes, I have written out the next three chapters, so I'm hoping to get them out relatively quickly, but I might change them up a bit... (Grimaces) I hope you like the way Kagome's going to find out. I figured the version of Inuyasha I have will be more straight up and blunt about it. Give me your opinion! Sorry for the wait. Merry Christmas!

Yeah, I've heard of the book, **Corner Girl**. In fact, I have it. When I started writing this though, I didn't even think about it. I just heard on the news about Howard Stern, and then I think a plot just formulated in my itty bitty brain. Hopefully, this story is different than A Voice on the Radio. And I had exams too... They KILLED me. Urgh. I should be dead now. Merry Christmas!

Thanks so much, **ChibiKenshin6490**! Glad you think so! I'm _really _against abortions, and I really don't see how people can agree with it. Close-mindedness, I suppose. I hope you like the way that I'm going to bring out the Inuyasha's secret. Although I do have to have a traditional twist to it. (Grins evilly) Merry Christmas!

Thanks, **inulova4lyfe**! You're a good reader! Merry Christmas!

I'm so honored that you consider this to be your favorite, **Sunrider22**! Although with the next three chapters, your opinion might change. For some reason, this chapter and the next three chapters don't appeal to me. Yes, I have the next three written, so I'm hoping for speedy "outtages", but... I might have to change it up a bit. (Sighs) I'm so picky. And Nanami is a perfect version of _my _grandmother too. She puts her foot down, that old lady does. I love her. Haha, no, Ayame won't do the howl thing. I put that there because that's how wolves find their mates, and I figured she should have some of the same urges wolves do, being a wolf-demon and all. And it should say how old Ayame is in a previous chapter (I forget which) how old she is, in human years. I think she's twenty-something, in human _and _demon years, because they age at the same rate humans do until they hit a certain age. Ages vary between different demons, and so on and so forth. And I hope you like how I'm having Inuyasha tell her. With how I wrote Inuyasha in the story, I figured he would be elusive about it, but still tell her straight up. But I will have something like you wrote in your review. And don't worry. You'll have the HORRIBLY-TWISTED-TABLE-TURNING-EVENTS soon. I hope my review for your review is long enough. Merry Christmas!

I tried to put more fluff in it, just for you, **Keiko89**! Hope you liked it! (Winks) And at first, I _was _going to have a bit of citrus, and I probably will, but nothing too explicit. There _are _younger people reading this. Thanks for the enthusiasm though! Lovin' it! Merry Christmas!

Well, **sapphire pink**, I had a review asking me to talk about it, and give my opinion, so that's where that came from. Besides, in some previous chapters, Inuyasha said he was going to talk about it. Kinda random, but not too much. Hope you liked it anyway. Merry Christmas!

This isn't the longest chapter, but I _did _take some time on it. Sorry! I was actually done last week, but I had to change some stuff around. You know how it is, right, **o0 DaRkNeSsEz PuRiTy 0o**? And yeah, Kagome's smart, but... for example: There are some things that if you _look _for it, you'll find it, but if you don't look, you won't find it until it comes out of hiding. Well, I decided to have it come out of hiding with Inuyasha's help. Is that good, or bad, do you think? I figured Inuyasha was more open in this story. More blunt, anyway. Tell me if you like! Merry Christmas!

**Saiyou The Lover **is never beaten! Even if you review once, you're treasured in my eyes. As long as you _read _the story, I don't mind. (Smiles) And here's my update! Merry Christmas!

Well, I won't be sorry then, **Angel of Diamonds**. But it _was _a good suggestion, and I loved it. And you'll see how he reacts in the next chapter. (Insert evil laughter) And I'm glad this is one of the more original ones. That's what I was aiming for when I started it. Thanks so much for reading! Merry Christmas!

I figured I should put more Miroku and Sango in it, so I had them go to the ball too. Like or no like? And yes, the dress was designed in my head. I'm considering becoming a designer as my future career. Look for my label! (Winks) Oh, and Inuyasha might be a bit more mellow. I'll explain in the next chapter. If I don't, ask, and I'll explain in my review of your review, **drake220**. Thanks so much for reading! Merry Christmas!

I updated, **Disoriented Mind**!

Yeah, this isn't too eventful either. I think my head is mushy right now, and I just can't think "action" right now. I apologize for that, **sleep walking chicken and HAP**. Hope you liked this update. Merry Christmas!

Haha, it makes sense, but my mind is anything but organized, **Mizo Sakura**. Hope you weren't bored with your computer this time, too. And I hope this chapter wasn't too detailed, although I _did _go a little more in depth. Not too much, but yeah. I figured I had underage readers, so I kept it R. It'll remain R in the future, too. And yes, I know **abstract x heart**! Can't believe families are getting into this story together. (Happily smiles)And yeah, I noticed some R-rated stories _are _better. Oh well. Hopefully, they warn readers of lemons, or something. And dragons are cool! I put more fluff into this one. Hope you liked it! Merry Christmas!

Hehe, that's what I'm hoping for, **NefCanuck**. He's going to take his lumps (He'll have a lot of them, I'm sure). Well, this was the next chapter, and I hope you enjoyed it. Merry Christmas!

Thanks so much! It's so flattering that you think my work is worth something, **Nyehaan**. And you're lucky, having two New Years. I want two New Years! Oh well... (Sighs) Merry Christmas! ...Again!

Thanks so much for loving this story, **Silver Rain Drops**! And I try with the grammar. Glad to know you're hooked as a fish on a hook... Really repetitive, but oh well. And Miroku and Sango are already hooked up, as you can see from this chapter. I just never went into depth with them, a mistake on my part. Whoops! And I would be honored if you told other people about my fic. Sounds corny, but it's true. I feel really blessed to have such avid readers. And it's fate that your birthday is the publish date of this story. (Winks) Thanks again! Merry Christmas!

Hehe, thanks, **Esther Tan**! You're such a faithful reader! And yeah, Inu would definitely get pissed, but that's for the next chapter. And I'm kinda having Cupid shoot Kouga a little earlier. Great suggestion though! Maybe with another story...! (Smiles evilly) And Inuyasha will get with Kagome soon. And Sesshoumaru will appear soon. I have his arrival all planned out. Wow, so many questions! I guess I've been neglecting my readers and their need for information! And I need to have Inu pissing on Naraku more on the air, I just can't think of another way to do it. I said all I had to say the last time, and I need to think of another way. Don't worry! I'll make it happen! And of course I would answer the reviewers. Neglect and ignorance is never the answer to anything! Besides, I would want the author _I'm _writing to, to write back to me with a reply, you know? And I completely agree with the relationship bit. He's not lying. He's just witholding some information. Whoops.And you're one of my most faithful readers! Thanks so much! I hope you getLOTS ofpresents!Merry Christmas!

Thanks, **code-wyze**. I appreciate the information. Maybe I'll fix it when I edit it and all. But you have to admit, chocolate _can _be very addicting, too. But don't you lose motor control when you get sleepy? Hm... Maybe I switched up crack/cocaine with marijuana. Anyways, like I said, I might fix it when I go through and edit the story. Thanks again! Merry Christmas!

Well, **xXloveablekdXx**, I get it from within the dark recesses of my insane little mind. Hope you don't mind. I just go through everyday life and have the same problems most people do, so some of them come from my own life. And Kagome will find out very soon. I hope you like the way of how she'll find out. I thought her finding out and getting all huffy about it was a little too cliche. Oh well. Maybe that's just me. Merry Christmas!

Nah. Inuyasha's not really a specialist for anything, **hibi**. (Chuckles) Except for maybe in flirting. With Kagome. And the child isn't evil... Just the father. I once read a book where the mother was raped andwanted to get an abortion, and was going to put the kid up for adoption after he was born, but when she looked at his face... She just couldn't do it. Somehow, I know Kagome would be the same way. It doesn't matter your genetics, just what you do with them. Wow, I'm so sappy. It must be the Christmas season. Speaking of... Merry Christmas!

Yeah... I didn't really explain it very well, did I, **Baby Bear**? Well, if I remember to (I just have absolutely the most horrid memory) I'll try to put an explanation of how demons are treated. Glad you liked the story though! Thanks, and Merry Christmas!

Wow, everyone is just getting grounded, aren't they? I got off grounding too (Not on the computer, thank God, just on the phone), and it was awful. I couldn't talk to any of my friends. I didn't update ASAP, but I hope you liked it all the same, **Miztical-Dragon**. Merry Christmas!

Thanks, **Iced Faerie**! Merry Christmas!

Wow. Actually, to be perfectly honest, I never even thought that, **silentslayer**, but that's a **_GREAT _**idea! I'm definitely going to use it! Thanks so much! Shows that authors need help too, every once in a while. (Winks) THANKS SO MUCH! Merry Christmas!

I'm so glad it rocks your socks, **WiCKeD ScHmoNesS**! And soda is good for your health. (Grins) Of course it isn't, but... Oh well, this is no time for logic! Merry Christmas!

Hehe... Done it a few times myself, **Leni**. Mwaha... They were definitely joyful experiences. Well, if you count dunking your friend's in the fountain as "joyful". Schucks, I should have put that in the chapter! Ohhh well. Maybe when I go through and edit. And I made Nanami _very _forceful. I'm sure Inuyasha enjoyed _that _experience. Merry Christmas!

I completely agree. It's completely silly not to do what you want. But, in their case, the horizontal mambo is out of the question right now 'cause Inuyasha says so. What dog-boy says is law (Not really). Hehe, they'll get to do what they want later on, don't worry! And yes, I am evil. Glad you figured it out, **Tenshi Koneko**. But I might have to kill you now. Maybe after Christmas break. Merry Christmas!

I'm afraid I updated a little late, **Ryuu no Taiyo**. And I have many of those "strange girly moments". They're exciting. Kinda. (Sighs) And this lazy author ass is busting its own lazy ass for not updating sooner when it had it done, but work has gotten in the way, along with some social obligations with friends... AND Christmas shopping. I apologize! I hope you have a Merry Christmas!

I'm glad about that, **Amunett**, 'cause I've been kinda worried I was rushing it _way _too fast. And I'm definitely sticking to it. How could I not, with so many loyal readers? And thanks for believing in my nonexistent brilliance. I appreciate it so much! It's readers like you that keep me in a story I'm writing. Merry Christmas!

Hehe, I'm surprised _I _had the guts to put it out there, too, **Mizz Moo**. And the end... I don't know. We'll just have to see where my fingers take us, 'cause they're the ones doing the thinking, not the peanut-sized thing between my ears. And I'm debating a sequel, although I'm going to have to come up with a conceivable idea for it. Either way, I'll keep you guys posted on it. Merry Christmas!

I know... But many women _are _in that situation, which makes me sad. Me and my friend were discussing it, and I thought it was a perfect topic for the show. It _was _a bit random though. Oh well. Thanks for sticking with this story, **Peaches Dani**! I love faithful readers like you. Makes me all warm and tingly inside.Merry Christmas!

Thanks **SesshoumaruGal**! And I'm definitely taking your idea to heart. In fact, thanks to your review, I have a plan for how, where, when, why, who... You get the picture. Thanks again! Merry Christmas!

How funny! I got fuzzy warm socks for Christmas! I hope you got some too, and I hope this chapter rocked those, **skitzoid**! And I loved the cookie! Thanks! (Munches happily) Merry Christmas!

It shames me that I didn't remember who Miharuwas until I went back into the chapter and read it again. (Sighs) My memory just sucks, **Lola-Gurl**. And... this might be giving it away, but yeah, Naraku will be there. Maybe. And we'll see about Kouga and Ayame. I actually have it all planned out. (Dies from shock) Yes, I actually planned a part of the story this time. Mwaha! It shall be devastating. Merry Christmas!

Thanks, **rkochick13**! And there will definitely be more chapters, so don't worry! Merry Christmas!

Hehe, I didn't take the second part of your suggestion, but I _did _take the first part. Mwaha. It's actually part of the reason the chapter's out late. I had to rewrite the beginning. I like the rewritten version better, so thanks a lot, **Somedaymydreamswillcome**! And honestly, I have _no _line. I'm just writing it as I go along. You could say I'm coming up with it as I go along. Merry Christmas!

Oh, oh! I know where they live, **abstract x heart**! And sorry about the messenger thing. I used to have it, but then it just stopped working one day. My computer is stupid, and it's a piece of crap. (Sighs) How sad. And Santa _did _give me everything I want.A loving family and friends, and loyal readers that actually review for my story! I'm so blessed. Merry Christmas!

I wuv you too, **Inu-Baby18**! Merry Christmas!

I really really love my reviewers! Thanks, **MM**! Here's my update, and hope you have a Merry Christmas!

Hehe, sorry. I had to rewrite the beginning, and work and Christmas shopping kept on getting in the way. (Sighs) Sorry! Here's your late Christmas present, **JadeFighter**!Merry Christmas!

* * *

**wk**: Hehe, there's the end of the **_ReViEw oF rEvIeWs_**! I kind of meant to update _before _Christmas, but... I couldn't because of work. So I'm doing it _after _Christmas. All the "Merry Christmas!"es I have in the return reviews are actually "Have a _late _Merry Christmas!"es. Sorry!

**Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas, and I'll try to update soon. I need to rewrite the next two chapters 'cause I just don't like 'em. So it might be a while... maybe a couple of weeks, maybe not. I might decide to just keep them the way they are. Thanks for sticking with me, guys, and hope you all had some** **_GREAT HAPPY HOLIDAYS_**! **Love you all!**

**--wk. **


	12. Secret's Out

**Disclaimer**: Not mine...

**wk**: Oh dear. I'm not sure if I like this chapter too much. (Sighs) Somehow, instead of getting _better_, I feel as if my stories are getting a bit worse. Whoops. Not cool. Not cool at all. Anyways, here's chapter twelve. At first, I hesitated on what to call it, but I decided on one. Hope you like the chapter!

Oh, wait! One more thing... **_THANKS FOR ALL YOUR REVIEWS_**! I _love _the support you've given me, which is exactly why I do the Review of Reviews. I want to have the chance to thank you all. It's time-consuming, but I love answering all of your replies to my story. Thanks so much for sticking with me this far, and I truly appreciate you guys's (Is this a word? Probably not...) love for my story. It's amazing the amount of reviews I got, and I just want to say again... **_THANK YOU_**!

**Chapter Twelve  
Secret's Out**

Kagome, laughing and holding on to Ayame and Sango, nearly tripped and broke her pretty ankles when she saw Inuyasha. She had seen him in a suit before, but with his amber eyes glowing with lust and desire for her, it kicked off a twin set of curling heat in her belly, and she wanted to jump down the remaining stairs and ravish him. In public. Instead, she flashed him a smile, half-pleasure, half-challenge. His eyes sharpened as they met her challenge. She resisted the urge to put a hand over her heart. Oh dear. She didn't even know what the challenge was.

"You have it _so _bad," Sango and Ayame chimed together as they watched the silent exchange, the tilting of her lips and the change in his eyes.

Kagome gave a heaving sigh, her lips curling ruefully. "Lord knows I do. He has yet to figure it out, though," Kagome said.

"He will," Ayame assured. "Sooner than you think," she added as she noticed the blue box under Inuyasha's arm. Kagome didn't notice it, since her attention was still riveted on Inuyasha's eyes.

Kagome heard Sango's breath catch next to her, and followed her gaze. It was harder to sport Miroku, since they were on the last step, but between a swirling couple, she saw Miroku staring intently at a blushing Sango. "I'm not the only one," Kagome said in a sing-song voice. "How delightful."

"Indeed," Ayame muttered. Maybe she shouldn't have broken up with her beau so quickly.

God what was she thinking? He had been sweet, but had started to annoy her with his clinging. And he had been rude to Uncle Inu. It wasn't the rude part that iffed her. It was the "I can't stand up to your uncle!" part that irked her. Ayame sighed. If she didn't find someone who could stand up to Uncle Inu, she was going to go mad. Stark raving bonkers. Every "man" she had come across was unwilling to go through her lovable Uncle. She huffed out a breath. She wondered why.

"You guys go find your men. I think it's time I go hunting," Ayame murmured. The urge to howl was strong, but she didn't dare. Female wolf demons were forbidden by law to do so now. Male wolf demons would kill each other for her, as was custom by wolf law, but illegal under human law. So, she tried to find a potential mate-to-be as regular human girls did: Stand next to the punch table until she found a suitable male. She should be on the discovery channel.

Now all she had to do was find the damn punch table.

As she passed the restroom (for what she thought was the third time), a catcall made her turn.

"Hey, baby. Nice set of cheeks." A male voice said, dripping oiliness and seduction, which she found rather nauseating. And she doubted he was talking about her facial cheeks. The guy waggled a brow at her, and all she could think was _ick, gross, disgusting! _She looked the guy up and down. If she was honest with herself, he looked okay. Still, he looked as if bunnies could scare him off. The soft, fluffy kind. Writing him off in her mind, she turned back in her futile search of the lost punch table.

"Hey! Toots! I'm talking to you!" He laid a hand on her shoulder, but she merely brushed it off.

"I wouldn't touch me if I were you," Ayame said mildly, wondering distastefully why her heels didn't permit her from seeing the punch table. His hand was on her shoulder again.

"Like a sweet little thing like you could--" Ayame sighed, prepared to turn and make a scene in the ballroom.

Suddenly, she was snagged-- there was no other word to describe it. An arm went around her waist, and she was plucked from the guy's hold. "What the--"

"There you are honey," the man whom the arm belonged to drawled at her. "Should've called me."

"Right… Who're you?" Ayame asked, plastering a fake smile onto her face. The guy tipped his head down to look at her.

"Kouga."

"Hm… Nice name. Nice arm, too. I'd appreciate it if you removed it," Ayame said. Kouga grinned. Surprisingly, he removed it. His grin faltered when she shoved him. Girl had a pair of arms on her, he mused.

"What was that for?" he asked. "I _rescued _you. Now you're supposed to _swoon _over me," Kouga said. What _was _it with high-powered women these days? Kagome was just like this chick. Only this one… The green was bringing nature images to mind. Adam and Eve. Oh boy.

"Like I needed _you _to rescue me," Ayame snapped, and strode off.

Kouga blinked after her, then grinned again, hooking his thumbs in his pockets.

"Interesting."

* * *

"You look…" Inuyasha said in wonderment as Kagome found him. Kagome spun once, laughed, showed off her dress. Inuyasha gripped her arm suddenly, took off his jacket, and scowled at her. She blinked as the jacket settled over her shoulders, and he kept it closed with one hand. 

"What are you doing?" Kagome asked, bewildered as she tried to shrug out of his jacket. He started to growl, and his hold tightened. She looked up to yell at him when she noticed he was looking at other men, warning them. A bit touched, but also annoyed, she pinched him. He jumped, looking down at her in surprise.

"What was that for?"

"For being a jealous fool," Kagome said, trying to pry his fingers from the jacket. She stumbled when he started to pull her forward by the jacket, practically dragging her outside. "I don't like being manhandled!" she hissed at him. His only reaction was a tightening of his lips, and then he closed the terrace doors, cutting off the music, and hopefully their own conversation.

"I'm not jealous," Inuyasha said through gritted teeth. Kagome sniffed haughtily.

"You dragged me outside to tell me that? I could have told you that you were lying in _there_." She jerked a thumb toward the ballroom. "Now let go of me."

Because they were outside and he was shielding her from view, he let her take off his jacket.

"So I guess you didn't like the dress?" Kagome asked almost casually. Inside, she wanted to tear off… well, she wanted to kill him. Nanami had made this dress with her own two hands, and Kagome was going to draw attention to it if it was the last thing she did!

"Good Lord!" Inuyasha cursed. "I love the damn dress. It makes you look like a goddess," he bit out.

"Well, no need to sound all bitter about it," Kagome said tightly. Inuyasha sighed, drew her close and kissed her senseless. "Well, if you put it that way," Kagome said breathlessly as he drew away.

"I don't want you to wear it in front of other men." That wiped away her dazed smile.

"Then how do you suppose I advertise the dress?"

"Bring a hanger."

"You're joking."

"I don't want you near _naked _in front of other men!" he said with a growl. He would never allow it! "Do you _want _to be almost naked in front of other men?"

"No, you half-wit! I want to wear it for _you_!" Kagome yelled. "But you don't trust me not to jump other men--!"

"I _do _trust you!" Inuyasha interrupted. It was a good thing he had closed the doors, but he was afraid they were going to crack under their high tones. "I just don't trust them!"

"Don't give me that… that… crap, you jerk! If you trusted me, you would trust me enough to know that _I _trust _you _enough to protect me from them!" Kagome yelled. Inuyasha blinked. He had not understood a word she had just said.

"Run that by me again?" Kagome blew out a frustrated breath.

"You can protect me! I trust you to protect me! I promise I won't let other men do things to me voluntarily--"

"But that's the problem. I _know _you won't do it voluntarily. So what if they make it _involuntary_?"

"_You'll _be there to protect me, won't you?"

"…Of course!"

"Then there's no problem." Inuyasha briefly wondered how she had won. His problem was that when other men even _looked _at her, possessiveness and jealousy reared its ugly, green head.

"Let's go back… What's that?" she pointed at the box under his arm, her mouth going slack. Inuyasha grinned, glad he had been the one to catch her off guard, for once.

"This, you stubborn, pig-headed brat," he said, "is…" he opened the box before she could rant. He heard her quick intake of breath.

"Oh my God…" She ran her fingers down the trail of diamonds. He felt as if she had run those fingers over him. "This must have cost--"

"Nothing, compared to your priceless reaction. Say, how do you think it would look on your mother?"

"You bought this to suck up to my _mother_?" she asked incredulously. He shrugged. Kagome gaped, then felt the anger boil under her skin.

"So? Do you think it would look good?" Inuyasha asked, grinning. Kagome took a deep breath, tried to be _happy _that he had thought to buy something so ridiculously grand for her mother. She instantly felt guilty for being angry with Inuyasha, who had simply bought her mother a beautiful present. Smiling genuinely, she hugged Inuyasha.

Inuyasha blinked in her embrace. He had watched her expression slip from anger, which delighted him, to shame, which puzzled him, and to genuine happiness, which befuddled him.

"It would look _great _on her," Kagome said, drawing back. "She'll be so delighted--"

Inuyasha stopped her with his kiss. What was this woman _on_? She really thought he would buy _diamonds _for her mother before her? Her unselfishness rocked him, and made him realize he had fallen deeper than before, if that was possible.

She hummed under him, even forgetting the diamonds under her fingers. Those fingers moved to touch his face. What was scary for her was that the rough scrape of his chin felt much better than the diamonds he had bought for her. She had the sensation of drowning, of going down under. The only difference was that she welcomed this plunging into the unknown.

Inuyasha tore away, grinned at her. She blinked as he clasped the necklace around her neck. The stone blinked from between her breasts. Her fingers came up to feel it, and brought her eyes to Inuyasha's. Then she jumped on him, mindful of her dress. "Don't step on my dress," she mumbled before kissing him deeply. "You… are… a… wonderful… wonderful… man…" she said between kisses.

He grinned at her again, his hand going to the black stone at her cleavage. "I'd like to see you in nothing else but this," he whispered before nipping her jaw line.

"Maybe…" Kagome whispered back, "tonight?"

Inuyasha drew away from her, gaping. Then he gave a snort. "I should have thought of pretty little baubles sooner," he said.

"You know what they say," she said as she gave his lip a nip. "Diamonds are a girl's best friend."

* * *

"Damn!" Miroku swore as he swung Sango away from him. 

"What's wrong?" Sango asked him concernedly when she twirled back, and he cursed again, silently to himself. He had forgotten her hearing.

"Nothing," he said sweetly. He glanced towards the terrace doors, saw they were open again. Inuyasha and Kagome were heading towards them, and he panicked mildly. He groaned when Kagome caught his eye and waved. He waved back, and Sango turned to smile at her. To Miroku's surprise, Sango didn't falter at the new addition to Kagome's wardrobe.

"Hi!" Kagome said to Sango as soon as she reached her.

"Looks pretty. I'm guessing Inuyasha?" Sango asked, pointing to the obvious, glaring stones.

"Sure was. Who knew he had it in him?" Kagome said amusedly as she gave Inuyasha a sidelong glance. Although Miroku didn't seem to notice, Kagome saw that Sango was distressed with her female's eye.

"Stay here, Inuyasha," Kagome told Inuyasha firmly before taking Sango's arm and leading her away ("What am I? A dog?" Inuyasha muttered). "What's wrong?"

"I like your necklace," Sango said after a pause.

"Sango!" Kagome exclaimed, shocked. "You're jealous of a necklace?" Sango shook her head quickly.

"I'm not jealous! Just… I've realized, he hasn't made any _gestures _toward me. Not one. And we've been dating for two years. I don't know if I'm just a satisfying romp in bed--" Kagome blushed, "--or if he's in it for the long haul. Oh, stop blushing. You and Inuyasha have probably done the hokey pokey… Several times," Sango said, although she knew for a fact that they hadn't. She felt horrible and slimy for lying.

Inuyasha, if you don't tell her soon, I _will._

"We haven't!" Kagome exclaimed indignantly, blushing more. She paused. "Ask him to marry you."

Sango flushed. "I can't."

"Sure you can! 'Hey Miroku! Marry me!' It's probably the best way to get him there."

"It's not that simple. And I'm traditional. The guy should ask me."

"If you were traditional, you would've waited until you were married to have sex."

"Why don't _you _ask _Inuyasha _to marry you?" Sango asked quickly.

Kagome nibbled on her lip, cracked a grin. "I can't. I'm a traditional girl."

* * *

Ayame swallowed her well-earned punch. She hadn't found the table, but when the crowd parted like the Red Sea, she made like Moses and dashed through before the walls of people crashed on her and smothered her to death. She had found, to her utter luck, the bar. If Uncle Inu found out she was drinking spiked punch, she was in for it. Her dear Uncle Inu was one day going to drive his pups nuts. 

She snickered and threw back the rest of the punch. She pushed the cup towards the bartender. "You know," she told him, "I thought there would be a punch table."

"What did you think this was? Prom?" A voice answered behind her. She knew who it was by the scent. The bartender ignored her when she sent him a helpless look. Muttering about how he would get no tip under her breath, she turned away from the bar with her newly refilled spiked punch to meet… God, what was his name?

"No, Cougar, I didn't," Ayame said, sipping her drink, although she _had _thought of prom.

"That's Kouga," he snapped. Ayame only shrugged.

"Why're you stalking me?"

"I'm not. Just came to get a drink." Cougar or whatever took her glass, turned it until his lips could settle where hers had been, and took a sip. Ayame rolled her eyes, unimpressed, and took the glass back. She wiped off the edge with her hand, scowling with distaste.

"Look, Slick, I'm not interested, so scat."

"It's _Kouga_," he said again, a little tightly. Ayame waved it off, taking a sip. A heavy hand landed on her shoulder and her nose twitched. Why were the same perverts accosting her today? She looked towards the ceiling for enlightenment, but received none.

"Heh. Finally found you, toots." Grimly, she noticed Kouga's growl before she laid her hand over the sweaty one on her shoulder.

"Looks like you did," she purred, then gave his fingers a little twist. Startled, he jerked back, but his fingers were held fast. She held them tight enough to pain him, but not to break them. She abruptly let go, watched him stumble back.

"Next time, you won't _have _any fingers after my uncle is done with you!" she called after him gleefully.

All of that, Kouga noticed dully, without spilling a drop from her glass. She turned those startlingly green eyes on him.

"You wanna be next, sweetheart?" she asked lowly, sipping on her punch with an eyebrow raised. Kouga blinked, then grinned with good humor.

"Yeah, I'll be next." Ayame raised her own brow in answer to his, and shrugged.

"Suit yourself." Her hand shot out, not for his hand, but for his throat. She meant to give him a scare, just to wrap her fingers lightly around his throat, but his hand was suddenly around hers, halting her progress.

The next thing she knew, the glass was on the bar counter, and she was dancing with him, her hand still gripped tightly in his.

"Pretty quick," Ayame murmured. Kouga was still grinning.

"I'd like to think so. I'd like to meet that uncle of yours, by the way. "With those beautiful words, Ayame believed she had fallen in love.

* * *

Kagome was dancing with Inuyasha, who, surprisingly, had very clever feet. 

"You dance very well," Kagome commented. Inuyasha merely grunted. "No, really. I'm surprised." Inuyasha grunted again. Leaning into him, she nibbled on his lower lip. "I find it sexy."

"Izzat so?" he mumbled, smiling slowly.

"Hm… Wanna give me a striptease?" she joked, delighted at the shudder that ran through him as she ran a finger down his soft ear.

"I'll think about it," he replied lowly, letting her scent of chocolate and vanilla overpower his common sense as he gave her a deep, tender kiss. He never _did _like listening to common sense, anyway.

"Sango's gonna ask Miroku to marry her," Kagome said as she drew away. Inuyasha blinked, trying to get his hazy mind focused again.

"Small world," he mumbled. "Miroku's gonna ask her tonight."

"No kidding?" Kagome asked, drawing back fully. Inuyasha pulled her back, trying to remember what steps came after. He imitated a man that seemed to be dancing okay. Kagome rested her head on his shoulder, drawing in his scent. Suddenly, he stopped dancing and she felt his chest reverberate as he started to growl.

Kagome sighed, pulling back from him, but his arm tightened around her waist and drew her to his side instead.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Inuyasha snarled. She looked up, saw a demon in a white suit, with a fuzzy appendage over his shoulder. She saw the markings on his face, and saw the silver hair that was the same shade and luster as Inuyasha's.

"Is this your new human toy?" Sesshoumaru asked snidely. Kagome stiffened.

"I'm no toy," she snapped before Inuyasha could. Sesshoumaru merely looked at her. He'd kill at poker, she thought.

"Got one with somewhat of a backbone this time," Sesshoumaru said mildly.

"I could say the same for Rin," Inuyasha snapped back, knowing Sesshoumaru thought of Rin only as a pup. As expected, Sesshoumaru frowned, giving Inuyasha a hard glare. Then he shrugged, and changed the subject.

"I hear Naraku is after Father's company," Sesshoumaru said. Inuyasha felt Kagome stiffen further against him.

"What's it to you? You already have Tenseiga," Inuyasha said, naming Sesshoumaru's own company.

"It's not enough," Sesshoumaru said tightly before turning and walking away. Inuyasha's eyes narrowed as they followed Sesshoumaru, until a punch on his arm jarred him.

"You didn't tell me you had a brother!"

"Half-brother," Inuyasha corrected, but was ignored.

"You didn't tell me Myouga's company was _yours_! I can't believe this! You're--"

"Whoah. What are you talking about? It was my old man's, but he gave it back to Myouga," Inuyasha said, lifting his hands in defense. Kagome paused.

"Well, Myouga will most likely hand it over to you, won't he?" Kagome snapped.

"… Maybe…" Inuyasha said thoughtfully.

"So was _this _your secret? Or is there more?" she asked. Inuyasha winced. She was getting mad as a hornet now. He wondered if he should say there was no more. She would believe him.

"No, nothing more. That was my secret."

* * *

She didn't believe him. She wasn't stupid. Him inheriting the company was a good thing. Well, _if _he inherited the company. He was the most likely candidate. And he would have told her about it in a heartbeat if she only asked. And having a brother? He would have told her about him, too, if she had bothered asking. 

It killed her inside to know he was lying to her face. What else was he keeping from her?

She remained stiff and unresponsive in his arms, even as they danced. She felt like tearing off the necklace that he had given her and strangling him with it. Mood swings were _not _her forte. Going from anger to depression in quick five second intervals had to be unhealthy, right?

Inuyasha noticed her stiff posture, how she did everything not to have any body contact. Okay, so he knew the reason for it. He would have to tell her the truth. He gulped. Her wrath wasn't pretty, and it was scary. Amazing how this petite little creature could make him cower.

Gathering himself up mentally, he opened his mouth to tell her, but the figure that suddenly appeared behind Kagome made his breath strangle, as did his stench as it flowed to his nose.

"Nice to see you've found someone to support you through these dark days, Ms. Higurashi."

Kagome turned, had to shudder back the venom she felt for Inuyasha and the instant distaste she felt for this man. She smiled easily, her hand slipping into Inuyasha's.

"And such a nice support he is. What dark days are you talking about though?" Kagome asked innocently.

"I'm sure he is." Naraku smiled coldly at them both, opting to ignore her question. "He _did _manage to cut off my sales quite a bunch with a conversation he had with one of my former… conquests."

"You know such influential people?" Kagome asked Inuyasha. He grimaced.

"Oh, you don't know?" Naraku gave a delighted laugh. "I guess I'm not the only one with conquests."

"I don't know what? And I'm nobody's conquest," she said, shrugging off Inuyasha's hand when he tried to tug her away.

"_He's _the influential one, although most of Japan doesn't know who he is. He has his own radio show. _And _he's been talking about you as 'Kikyou' for--"

"That's enough!" Inuyasha spat out. He tried to pull Kagome away, but she brushed his hand off.

"So you didn't really have an ex named--"

"Oh, he did. Stole her away from me very cleanly."

Kagome was eerily silent, and Inuyasha was tense, his hands curling into fists and then uncurling. He was relieved when she lifted her head, smiled easily at Naraku, and then kissed Inuyasha lightly.

"Why, Inuyasha! I would have done the show _with _you, if only you'd told me!" Kagome said brightly.

Naraku's eyes narrowed, but he shrugged, still smiling coldly. "Nice party."

"Thank you! But last time I checked, you weren't on the invitation list. No offense meant, of course." Kagome stared hard at him. How _had _he gotten in? This was an invitation-only party. Naraku started to walk away.

"No offense taken… And I have certain… connections," he said over his shoulder, and seemed to disappear in the crowd. Instantly, Kagome headed for the stairs.

"Where are you going?" Inuyasha asked.

"Home," Kagome replied tightly, throwing what she hoped was a brilliant smile to an entrepreneur she knew well.

"What? Why?"

"Please tell Myouga I got sick." He grabbed her arm and whirled her around. He blinked at the tears he saw in her eyes.

She quickly turned away, walking with a purpose towards the stairs. Inuyasha followed quickly.

"I thought you were okay with it!" he hissed behind her. She nearly stopped short and slapped him. He had _no _right to be angry with her!

"I'm not tearing off your butt and handing it to you in front of _him_. That's what he wants, and I'm not giving him the satisfaction."

Inuyasha was panicking. He saw Miroku, quickly grabbed him by the arm and said, "Tell Myouga Kagome and I left early. Here're the keys. Please drop off the girls." Then he followed Kagome up the stairs, out the doors, and into her car.

She stared at her lap as she willed the tears back. So is this what ultimate betrayal and heartbreak felt like? She wondered brokenly if dying felt any better.

"Get out," she said to him, horrified when her voice broke.

"No." Inuyasha put on his seat belt. "Let's talk." He believed that was the first time he had uttered those words in a relationship. Even with Kikyou.

"Get. Out. I don't _want _to talk to you."

"Well, tough. What's wrong? What's the big deal? So I'm a shock jock. So--"

"I don't care about that."

"Okay, so I talked about us without you knowing. None of it was bad, and they don't know who--"

"I _am _mad about that, but not as much as I'm _pissed _that you lied to my face!" Kagome yelled. She shoved the key into the ignition, and peeled out of the lot.

"So I lied for a moment! I was going to tell you the truth! I didn't want to ruin your evening."

"Well, congratulations, you've _failed horribly_," she said, thumping the heel of her hand against the wheel.

"I was going to tell you the truth as soon as we got home."

"How can I believe you?" He fell silent in the car as Kagome broke several driving laws. Inuyasha's knuckles were white on his seat belt.

Kagome squealed into her driveway and Inuyasha jumped out of the seat. Kagome slid out of hers, being careful with her dress.

"So now we're dealing with broken trust," Inuyasha said, clarifying the situation.

"Yes. And there's no relationship with no trust." Inuyasha didn't say anything, because he agreed. But losing Kagome was not an option.

"We'll built it again." He swallowed hard, starting to panic.

"Can we?" She looked at him, the tears in her eyes pooling and spilling. Inuyasha didn't answer because he didn't know the answer. Slowly, carefully, she reached behind her neck, and unclasped the necklace. She opened his palm, pooled the diamonds into his hand. He looked with bewilderment at the glinting diamonds in his hand.

"What the…" He felt his chest constrict with fear and panic.

"When you're ready to tell me everything, I'll be here. When… _If_… you decide you want to, I'll be here. Here's my keys. Drive home, since your car isn't here. I'll call in a favor with Ayame when I need a ride to work or something." She walked to her front door, and went inside, where she thought he couldn't hear her broken sobs.

* * *

When the numbness went away, he wasn't sure what he would feel. Maybe sadness. Definitely anger. A little fear. But above all else, he knew he would feel despair. He went to Kagome's door, heard her sobs. He pounded on it, heard her hiccup and yell, "Go away!" He continued to pound until she opened the door, with her make-up ruined. She still looked beautiful to him. His heart constricted painfully. "What do you want?" she asked. 

He opened her hand, put the diamonds in her hand.

"I'll get you back. I'll make you trust me again. Wait here, and don't go anywhere. I'll be back, and you'll see," he whispered determinedly. Before she could draw away, he kissed her hard until her resisting body became limp against his. "Don't let Naraku come between us. I won't let him." Kagome gave a little sob, but gave a small nod. Despite everything, she still had faith in Inuyasha.

Inuyasha got into her car, and took off as fast as she had come. He drove to the studio, and although it was closed, he used his claw on the lock.

"Boss man won't mind," Inuyasha murmured as he turned on all the lights and ran to the record room. All the shows they had done were recorded. It would take forever to find his own, but he would do it He rummaged, making sure not to damage anything. Then, when he found his own records after he was sweaty and tired, he scribbled a note on a piece of paper saying, "I borrowed the tapes. Will return them later. --IY."

He ran back out to the car, remembering to turn off the lights and re-lock the door. He hurriedly strapped himself in the car, and saw that dawn was about to break. Was he really in there for that long? God, Kagome was never going to look him in the face again. He tore down the streets toward her house.

* * *

Kagome was still crying with her knees drawn up, her chin resting on them. She was sobbing as if… well, as if she had been dumped. But really, didn't she do it? And why was he so adamant about proving himself to her? It was over. He had lied to her. 

She shouldn't give him another chance. Her phone rang, and she wiped her tears before picking it up.

"Hello?" she said in a waterlogged tone.

"Kagome, dear, you sound awful," her mother said. Kagome hiccuped, and broke down crying again. "Kagome, what's wrong? What happened?"

"He lied to me, Mama!" Kagome said, reverting to her old name for her mother. "Right in my face!"

"So did you forgive him yet?" her mother asked. Kagome took the phone away from her face, stared at it, then put it back to her ear.

"Excuse me? Mama, did you not hear me? He _lied _to me," Kagome said.

"And I'm sure you've lied to him many times before." There was silence. "No? Well, let me tell you something, honey. Men lie all the time. They think they can keep secrets. Now all you need to do is talk it out with him. Is he there? Let me speak with him."

"No, he's not here," Kagome said wearily. "Do you really believe that much in my power of forgiveness?"

"Do you love him? I hear from Myouga that you're very attached to this certain young man. I'm delighted for you. You can finally give me grandchildren. Yes, I _do _believe in your powers of forgiveness, Kagome. I raised you to forgive, to love openly," her mother said in a rush. Kagome struggled to keep up with her mother.

"Yes, I love him. Yeah, I'm quite attached. And I'm not sure about the grandchildren." She gave a watery laugh. "And you raised me just fine, Mama."

"Good. I'm glad you agree. So whom are you going to believe? Some man that showed up at a party he was not even invited to, or the love of your life whom you trusted until you found out he told you one lie?" her mother asked. Kagome paused.

"Well, the answer's obvious isn't it?" Kagome sighed, wiping the last of her tears away and smiling. "Hey, how did _you _know about Naraku at the party? You're stalking me, aren't you mother?" Her mother chuckled.

"Myouga called when he got worried. He saw you looking distressed and then he saw Naraku later. He put one and one together and got three."

"Um… That's, _two _Mama."

"No, he thought that Naraku said something that made you want to sleep with Inuyasha more."

"Okay, three it is."

"And of course, being the worried, careful mother that I am, I called to make sure you were okay. I didn't have the same conclusion of course, not when Myouga told me you were on the verge of tears."

"How could he think that I--"

"The number three, darling." Kagome chuckled warmly as she reclasped the necklace around her slim throat.

"Thank you, Mama."

* * *

When he arrived, he hopped out with a box under his arm. He rang her doorbell, then just walked in. Or tried to. She had locked the door! 

"Kagome, open this door!" he yelled, enraged that she would lock him out.

"No!" He heard her yell back. So she had moved from despair to anger. Okay, anger was something he could handle much more easily.

"Why not? I brought _proof_, wench!" Inuyasha snapped. "I can open this door by force, or you can open it for me."

"Then by all means, open it by force!" He heard her yell. He looked at the heavy door grimly. Then, he stepped back. He lifted his foot, brought it against her door with tremendous force. The door popped off the hinges like they were made out of Swiss cheese. It swung wildly, precariously, on one sole hinge on the top.

Kagome gaped from her sofa. Then, she got up slowly. She had a dangerous look on her face, and Inuyasha knew he was in for it. Maybe despair was better than anger. And being angry back at her didn't help _his _situation any. He tried to stand his ground as she came nearer, but he could practically see the flames licking at her ears as she gave him a hard glare.

"You know, I chose, while you were gone, that I would forgive you. That I trusted you more than I did that sleazeball. I also decided that you were going to have a lot of schmoozing to do to me, for what you did. Unfortunately, I didn't equate in that you were a major _jerk_ with an attitude that just doesn't fit with mine, so I would enjoy it immensely if you paid for my door and _left._" Kagome crossed her arms, her eyes narrowing when he didn't move from his position.

"Do you have a cassette player?" he asked, maneuvering himself around her and going to her couch. When she had said she trusted him more than Naraku, and that she chose to believe him, he felt an immense relief and lightness around him that he had never felt before.

"Did you _not _hear a word I just said?" Kagome asked shrilly as she followed him. "You broke down my door, and now you're asking for a cassette player?"

"Yes." Inuyasha stood, shoved the box into her arms. She blinked at it, then scowled at him.

"What's this?"

"The shows I did. About you. They're labeled 'Kikyou' on the top. My talks about you were recorded separately. I think my boss had a sick sense of humor," Inuyasha mumbled. Kagome looked into the contents of the box, frowning at the amount of cassettes. She gave Inuyasha a inquiring glance, but then walked to her stereo. She popped in the cassette numbered "one", and Inuyasha suddenly started to fidget. He remembered what he had said on those cassettes, his confessions.

Dammit, he had said he loved her! To strangers! She was going to be _hopping _mad.

"I'll wait at home. You listen to those and tell me if you've decided to take me back," Inuyasha said. He moved towards the door, wincing as he saw the damage he had done. Replacing it would be the first thing he did in the morning.

"You can fix that now," Kagome said wryly, glancing at the door.

"No I can't. The wood's messed up, so the doorframe will most likely have to be fixed, too. Sorry about this. But you _did _give me a choice, and I chose."

"Well, next time, I'll ask permission to neuter you," she said darkly and fell silent as the tape started. Inuyasha moved silently outside, feeling as if he had dodged a well-aimed bullet. Silently congratulating himself, he walked to her car, and drove home to await her verdict.

* * *

**wk**: Okay, done. Wow, I have a lot of reviews to go through, which is partially why this chapter came out so late. Another part of why it came out so late is that my Mother has been home a lot lately, and I've been doing house chores instead of writing... Not to mention college started. Whoo! I'm in for quite the year. New Year's Resolution: Improve my writing! 

**_ReViEw oF rEvIeWs_**:

Yes, **silverrowan**. Sesshoumaru has shown his face! Finally! Haha. He'll play a major part (I think) in my story as well. Don't you worry your attractive little head about it! (Grins) And I figured Kanna was a given. I might think of a more significant role for her later.

Argh, I _completely _agree, **Emerald Ash**. I don't know how they live with abortion. And boy, _do _I have to change my chapters. I wince every time I re-read them. I thought Kagome's reaction was fitting. She's very forgiving, but she usually has to have some time to mull over it. I just pushed in her mother to make it a little more rapid. (Winces) I hope it wasn't _too _rushed. And my Christmas was flipping AWESOME! Hope yours was, too!

Well, she got mad, **Fushigi Aoi Tenshi**, but I hope her reaction was fitting. It's kind of hard trying to figure out what they would have done in the show or the manga or whatever. I'm pretty sure Inuyasha would have reacted differently, but you have to remember: This is without Kikyou in the picture. Well, the real Kikyou, anyhow. Hope you didn't wait too long for this update! Sorry, it was kind of short this time.

I absolutely **_adore _**the second movie! Did you watch it? (Sighs) It was so fluffy. I loved itttt... I also like the third one. I'm afraid I watched my friend's downloaded version. Whoops... Ehehe... (Sighs) I'm so bad. Hope I didn't update too late,**XxDemonic-PrincessxX**. Hope you had a great Christmas!

Her dress _does _sound J.Lo ish, but here's the crucial difference: She's not bearing it all. Like, her boobs aren't about to pop out of the dress. I was afraid J.Lo's were gonna when I saw her on the red carpet, and I had to keep my eyes closed. I was a prisoner of my own fear, in other words. And colors must've escaped my mind for the men. I was so intent on getting the colors for the women. Males just aren't as important as females, you know, **drake220**? Except our sexy Inu. But anyways, all the suits are black. I hate gray, and brown just reminds me of poo. Simple black, I thought, was always elegant, no matter what the design. And Kagome, being a true female, will not need the straightjacket. Haha!

Well, **Corner Girl**, I'm not very much hungry either. Who knew? Usually, I'm the one pigging out. I'm little Miss Piggy. Oink oink.

Right-o, **sapphire pink**! The three gorgeous hunks of Inuyasha, in other words. (Sighs) I wish I had one of those eyes on _me_. Alas, it was not to be. (Does a drama-queen pose)

Thanks, **inulova4lyfe**. This one's kinda short, but I hope it satifies, nonetheless. I didn't have time to fix it up, and time, unfortunately, kind of ran out. I'm already on the next chapter, so I didn't want to spend any more time on this one, you know? Besides, I think it's... okay... the way it is! Thanks for your support!

So sorry, **kirei-kitsune13**! Sorry I took so long. Hopefully, my next chapter won't take too long, and hopefully, you'll still be with me. Thanks for enjoying my story so much!

Wow. Truthfully, I didn't know I _had _a style, **The Forgotten Child**. I just kinda thought I wrote kind of randomly... Or is _that _the style? Ah, well. I hope you had a great Christmas, too!

Yessiree!Our hunk was one of the three pairs ofeyes,**Starrchick101**! I'll tell you what you won now... Nothing, but a chocolate chip cookie that will do nothing but go to your thighs! But I hope you continue to read anyway! (Grins)

I had a little less fluff in this one, I think, in light of all the drama, but I hope you enjoyed it anyway, **Keiko89**. Thanks for reading!

THANKS, **InuKag Fan**! Glad you're so excited about my story. (Smiles)

I hope you like how I had Kagsie handle it, **Touya**. And I'm so glad you think it's getting better instead of worse. I love readers like you. I really do. (Smiles)

Well, **Inuyasha's-1-and-only-lov**, I do believe I left it like that, and unfortunately... (Winces) I wasn't able to update on December 27, 2004. Sorry it took me so long. Hope you're still with me!

Hehe. It was an extended cliffhanger, I suppose, **Iced Faerie**. I mean, the whole story has been the cliffhanger, kind of, hasn't it? "What's going to happen when Inuyasha tells her? WHEN is he going to tell her?" I figured now was a good time, and I don't think it'll hurt the story. Not what I have planned for it, anyway. If I don't like revealing it now, then I'll simply change it. Hope you liked it though. I'm afraid some people aren't going to like Kagome's reaction to it. We'll see.

Yes, **Saiyou The Lover** is the winner! You are _all _winners in my twinkly little eyes! Hope you liked this update. Until next time...!

Haha... Kagome _is _like Cinderella, isn't she? Only instead of turning back into a pumpkin, she has the lie sprung on her. How exquisitely metaphorical. I applaud you, **AngelOfDiamonds**. Hope you didn't wait too long for this update. I apologize if you did!

Ohhhh... Wow. Like I said before, you learn something new everyday. Interesting... Thanks, **code-wyze**!

Hope you liked her reaction to it, **Miztical-Dragon**. There _was _devastation an angst, just probably not to the degree that people wanted it. Do you think I should have upped it a little? Or maybe do you think I rushed it too much? Please tell me the honest-to-God truth, because criticism (_helpful _criticism) makes my day brighter with a better way to write. Wow, I'm cheesy.

I dunno, **Tenshi Koneko**... I think his ears are a little potent. Hehe, I don't think_I _could resist ears like that. My major weakness: Dogs. Basically why I like these series so much. Add onto it that it's humorous, it's absolutely adorable and loveable, it's action-packed, and you've got the perfect anime. Yummy.

I hope you had a wonderful break, too, **ChibiKenshin6490**. Although winter break is over for me, and college is back. (Sighs) Wonderful. Pile after pile of _work_, most likely. Bea-U-ti-FUL. And I'm so glad you think I did good with the tension. That was one of the things I was worrying about. But glad you liked it!

Glad you liked it, **o0 DaRkNeSsEz PuRiTy 0o**! Well, they belonged to Inuyasha, Miroku, and Kouga... But I'm sure you've figured that out by now, since you've read this update. (Winces and sighs) I'm really repetitive today. Dunno why.

More than pretty good, I think. And to me, waking up at that time is murder. I don't know how you do it. Do you at least take naps during the daytime, **Daddy's Pixie**? And I used to have nightmares, too. Maybe my solution will help you, too. Now, before I go to sleep, I just think nothing but "Black". Like, instead of wanting to have dreams and ending up with nightmares, I just think "Nothing". After a while, it seemed to work, and I've been sleeping fitfully since I was a little girl. Good luck with that bloody war. Hope I helped out some. And yeahhhh, I did the tired, used-too-much movie cliche thing. I thought it fitting, since he _did _refer to movies a lot. Hope you liked it anyway.

Well, **gothic Inuyasha**... You've found out how she handles it. Do you approve? Disapprove? Give me your opinions! And Lord, what _is _it with you people staying up so late? I think I'd be sleeping on my keyboard, not to mention some drooling on it.

Hope you read my review, **Eirliel**. I'll do my best to help, but I'm gonna need a little more information. I'm afraid that the chapter's a bit vague. Good, but a bit vague. So, help me out, and I'll help you out. Okay? (Smiles)

Oh, I'm not near the ending. I'm thinking about a sequel, too, although I'm gonna have to plan it out. I _think _the story will still be okay from now on, although I let out the "Big Kahuna". Hope you stick with me until the ending, **shaid**!

Glad your lyao, **eveilpristess345**. (Grins)

I just realized... It's kind of confusing... Inuyasha's reaction, anyway. Crud. I'll explain in the end, I suppose. Thanks for your review! It made me realize my mistake, **melissa**. Hope things went okay with your friend.

Yep. I'm planning on getting Ayame and Kouga together. I dunno where the old man came from, but... I figured, why not? I already put one cliche into this. Why not two? And I don't thinkher reaction was _hilarious_, persay... I added a bit of drama to it. Hope you liked it anyway, **Lanturn**.

Well, **inuphoria**, after reading your review, I thought of putting _both _of that into there. Inuyasha loses his nerve, and Kagome finds out by herself. Haha, I know... I put the two things you hoped _wouldn't _happen, but what can I say? I'm a evil kind of gal. And I'm _SO _honored you put me on your site. I looked it up, of course, and I loved it! I love your whole site. The layout was absolutely incredible, and it was just the _biggest _honor being on it. Thanks so much! Hope my story's still on your list of good reads, even after I put the "bad things" into it. (Grimaces) Hehe...

Sorry! It was a filler chapter, **sleep walking chicken and HAP**, so yeah... it was uneventful. Glad you found it good, nonetheless!Hey, I've been meaning to ask. How did you come up with your name? That is the _most _original name I've ever seen. Hope I didn't update too late. Thanks for sticking with my story!

Hehe... I put some more drama into this, **Nyehaan**. I thought although I try to put a lightheartedness into any situation in this story, I thought the love of your lying to you was a bit more serious to laugh at, you know? Still, I hope it wasn't _too _dark, or anything like that. And yeahhh, I know **Kiala**! Wow, connections, connections. I happen to know sisters who read this story, too. And I try to have my story as well written as possible. Only the best for the readers!

Been a while, **Esther Tan**! Or has it only been a while because I took so long to update? Probably the latter. (Sighs) And I tried to have Inuyasha a bit rough but romantic at the same time. Did I fail at it horribly? (Sighs) And I _did _have Kagome get mad at Inuyasha, but I hope you can forgive me for that! And I will definitely try to read "Agent Under Fire". Who's the author?

Hope you didn't wait too long, **binab86**!

Yep, I'm setting Ayame up with Kouga. Hope you don't mind, **Amunett**. And I'll try to keep 'em coming, but just to warn you... College has started again, so I might not have as much time. Meh. Sorry!

Hope you didn't wait too long, **SeaBreeze-Yami**/**Anzu**! Glad you liked my fic!

Hehe... Sorry, **Mizo Sakura**. No can do! _I _don't even know what I'm going to put in Chapter 13! My writing is soPMS-ey that it changes constantly. Hehe, and you better give your sisters props! The more people that know, the better. Oh, and yes. I had a very Happy New Year's. Hope you did, too!

Hehe... yeah, I was kinda late for the "Merry Christmas" thing. And don't we all wish we were Cinderellas and Sleeping Beauties at heart, **PeachesDani**? Anyways, hope you had a Happy New Year's!

Well, **SadPoetGoth**, I'm not sure I write _great _stories, but I believe I write pretty well. Thanks so much for all you compliments, and I hope you had a Happy New Year!

Hehe... Yes, Inuyasha _does _think Miroku isSango's bitch, but he doesn't believe any less in Miroku's personality. And Inuyasha _finally _told Kagome! How do you like how I did it, **NefCanuck**? And I like Miroku's character in this. I'm not sure how exactly I wrote it, just that I like it.

Oh, I can explain that, **blkagome&inu**! The reason she says "butt" instead of "ass" is because of what she said: Why say "ass" when she could just say "butt"? In other words, she wants to be insulting without being too hypocritical. Something like that. It sounded good in my head, anyways. (Winces)

Thanks so much, **Chat-Chan**! So glad you liked my fic so much! I'm not too sure about my "awesome writing technique" or anything about the plot, really, but I'll have to thank you all the same. It's completely flattering, and it fits my big head. And no reviews are forgotten!! ... For the most part, anyway.

Hehe... You know, I don't really remember how I came up with this plot line, **flip-x-fantasy**. I probably put the cause in a previous chapter. And Kagome blew, but the top was quickly placed back on. Hope you don't mind that too much, and hope you like Kagome's reaction to it. Thanks again!

Hehe, thanks, **InuChan FFnet**! Hope I didn't update too late for you. I mean, hope you didn't have to wait _too _long for this chapter. I'm glad you're so excited about my fic though! Thanksssss!!

Hope I updated soon enough for ya, **Miyumi-Chan**! Thanks for reading!

Yeah, Ayame _had _a boyfriend. I didn't really make a big deal about it, but the day she showed up at the airport (I believe it was thatchapter) is when she says something about breaking up with him. Sorry! I hope this clarified things, **Midnight Miko Maiden**!

Well, partially right, and partially wrong. I was searching for a way to satisfy my own urges for her to tell Inuyasha to go to hell, and most of my readers' urges to have her forgive and forget. I hope it worked out okay. Please tell me if you don't think it suits her, or... anything else, **silentslayer**!

Hehe... I tried to put some humor into this story, since I noticed that some _really _good stories out there really have no laughs in it. Sometimes it fits, and sometimes I wish I could laugh at certain situations. That's what I tried to do with this story. Try to make a laugh out of any given situation. And I'll most likely do the war angle in my next update, or the one after. Thank you so much for the idea, **Fushigi Aoi Tenshi**!

Hehe, thanks, **me**! Hope I updated soon enough for ya!

Frustration... is good... I think... right? Well, the truth came out, and instead of having a cliffie, I decided to put Kagome's reaction in the same chapter. i don't know if that was a tactical error for me, or if... Ah, hell. It's done. Hope you liked it, **KantoTheSlayer**! Oh, and I meant to make Ayame cute. (Grins)

Glad you liked my story so much, **Valese**! Hope you continue to enjoy it as much later in the future!

Actually, another reviewer told me it was a radio station in... California, I think? She/he asked me if I knew it, and I don't. I dont live in California, and it was a random number I made up. Apparently, not so random. (Chuckles) And how ironic it's your favorite station, **Lady of the Serpents**! That's great. Absolutely marvelous.

Well, **Shizuka Kaze**, I hope you have it figured out by now who the third pair of eyes belong to. If you didn't... Well, we'll have to talk. Haha! Thanks for reading!

No need to apologize, **Ryuu no Taiyou**! Just glad you read the story, and gave up the time to review. So glad I am!

Surprises, surprises. I do indeed love surprises. And it's good that your sister monitors what you read. I have a younger sister myself, and she gets into so much trouble and michief that I just want to bop her on the head. I love her though, of course, and that's exactly why I do the things I do, **abstractxheart**. But, she's older now; hardly young enough for me to order around any longer. (Sighs) my slave is gone.

Wow. I've never had anyone who threatened to... er... go midieval on my ass, but I greaty appreciate it, and I would like to congratulate you! You're my first... threatener, **Vedan**! But anyways, sorry I updated so late. I wasn't exactly stocked up on time. Thanks for reading!

I don't know where that scene came from, honestly. Miroku in a bathrobe just seemed hilarious to me, too, so I put it into the story in a fathomable sense. Hope you liked how Kagome reacted, **WiCKeD ScHmoNesS**!

Hope I updated soon enough for ya, **chibi moon baby**!

Haha, glad you like my story, **Kagomegirl56**. Did you finish reading?

Hehe... the "table-turning" will have to wait until I get my bearings and I know what I'm doing. In any case, I think this was a table-turning event. Don't you think so, **KrystalJade**? Glad you like my story!

When I read your review, I bopped myself on the head, **Drake Clawfang**. See, I had already written the chapter out, but if I rad your review sooner, I might have changed it. And Kagome already knows Inuyasha is a hanyou... But I'm pretty sure you meant _the _Hanyou, the radio personality. I should have done it your way, but there were too many repercussions, and unseen consequences of that. Thank you so much for your suggestion, though! I loved it, and I do hope you continue your suggestions.

Yep, **DogDemonKinoke**, you're probably right. Inuyasha will probably try to shred Kouga to itty bitty bits. And Kagome did a little bit of both: A little bit of "leave him" to "forgive and forget". Hope that's okay!

Hehe, thanks, **tainted17**! Thanks for both your compliments, and your anticipation. I hope you like how Kagome reacted!

Thanks, **Wake-Robin**! And the ending will be happy. I _will _say that much. I mean, I'm too much of a sap to have it sad. Besides, I don't think death, illness, destruction, etc. really fit in this story. Thank God. Mayhem will have to come another time. Thanks for reading!

* * *

**wk**: Yummy yummy... Gummy in my Belly. Anyways, I'm done with the TRUTH IS OUT chapter. Glad you all liked it, and I hope it was exciting and momentous for all of you. I'm working on the next chapter, but I didn't really like this chapter that much, so I'm not sure what I'm doing exactly in the next chapter to fix up this chapter. I'll think of something. I just need to use... brain power! Thanks for reading you guys, and I can't help but notice... I'm near **_400 REVIEWS_**!!! How _AWESOME _is _that_? Absolutely great and wonderful. Nearly had a heart attack when I saw the response to the chapter. Thanks so much guys! I owe the success of this story to you all. Hope you all had a wonderful New Year's!

Hm... I do believe I have an issue with you, **Anonymous**. Dunno if it's a _bad _issue, or a _good _issue, but... here goes. I don't like how you sprang this on me. For one, the _summary _has the words "controversial issues" in it. And it's rated R for a reason. And I wanted to make it as realistic as possible. When you listen to radio shows, the talkers usually have an opinion the listeners don't agree with. Sometimes, I believe, on purpose just to make some conversation. And I can't really put "controversial issues warning" on the previous chapter, because I never know what I'm going to write for the next chapter. And, for some very good reasons, this story wasn't _meant _to be just a fluffy, good-to-read-when-you're-bored story. And the abortion part _was _random, as was every subject he brings up, just as every subject that shock jocks bring up really have no basis. And it isn't just an important subject _to me_, but it's an important subject for _everyone _to discuss. Hell, we're not even discussing it now. I simply put the subject out there with a practical, fictional discussion about it. I'm sorry if you don't agree with Inuyasha's opinions, or mine, for that matter, but like I said before, it had "controversial issues" in the summary, and was rated R for a reason. Most of the time, rated R stories isn't just fluff and flowers. And I don't want mine to be like that. Wow. I didn't mean for this to be so long, but I just wanted to explain my position. I did not mean this in any offensive way, and I'm sorry in advance if you take it that way. Hopefully, you'll just skip over the parts where Inuyasha talks on his show, and hopefully, you'll come to like the controversial issues, becauseI disagree that it's completely random and doesn't belong in the story. The story was _named _for the radio show, and how dumb would it be if I didn't even _include _the show in my story? Completely folly. Thanks for your opinion and advice. However, I'm not sure if I'm going to follow it, for my big-headed, egotistical reasons.

Anyways, just had to respond to it. Like I said, it wasn't meant in any offensive way, although I do have to admit my big ego was a bit bruised.


	13. Proposal

**Disclaimer**: Rawr. Nooottt mine.

**wk**: WHOO HOO HOO HOO HOO! Guess how many reviews I have? _OVER 450_! How _unbelievable_! I thought I should make this chapter longer as a present, but then you guys would have to wait longer and I thought getting it out sooner was a better present. Well, thanks for your support guys, and here's a warning:

**This chapter contains slightly citrusy content. A lemmony lime if you will. **It's not too descriptive... I don't think it's too bad, but this was just in case there were children reading this, or if there were just people that were too shy to read such things. I'll also have a warning before it happens, so it'll catch your eye.

**Chapter Thirteen  
Proposal**

Kagome made some popcorn. Might as well have a snack when she was listening to something that made her want to microwave her head. What a jerk!

"… had to carry her fat ass into the damn house… keep himself out of this witch's bed…" Kagome grit her teeth, her hand digging into the popcorn and shoving it into her mouth wrathfully. She was going to "fix him" later. Carry her fat butt into the house, hm? Witch's bed, hm?

He didn't see the worst of it yet, she viciously thought. She continued to listen, raising her eyebrow when she realized that the prostitute's daughter was Ayame. So Ayame's mother was sort of saved by Inuyasha? She never knew he was such a softie.

Then she came to the last tape. She sighed as she popped it in, going back to her couch and her now-empty bag of popcorn. The sun was up, and she paused the tape. She went into her room, and changed into pajamas. She had become nocturnal, preying on popcorn as she listened to her other prey on the cassette.

She made another bag of popcorn, doubting that she was going to finish this one, and pressed play and sat down. "…'What did you do?'" Kagome listened with interest as Inuyasha repeated the question.

"…'I fell in love with her.'"

Kagome dropped her bag of popcorn onto the floor.

* * *

Inuyasha yawned, scratching his head as he went to the bathroom. He showered, brushed his teeth, and frowned as he saw his own reflection. He had dark circles under his eyes, and he cursed as he looked at a clock. It was seven in the morning. He had finally fallen asleep at six. One damn hour of sleep. 

He went out to the kitchen, where the smell of coffee drew him. Ayame was sipping a cup, and to his horror, was also eating strawberry ice cream straight out of the carton.

"Isn't that gross?" Inuyasha asked in a raspy voice, nodding at the carton and the coffee. "Mixing those two won't exactly put your stomach in a good mood. Then again, you have a stomach of steel." Ayame chuckled.

"You should try it, Uncle Inu. It's actually pretty good," Ayame said.

"No thanks." Ayame sipped her coffee, surveying her uncle's rumpled appearance.

"You look like hell, Uncle Inu," Ayame stated.

"Thanks," Inuyasha said wryly. He cursed when his tired hands spilled some coffee onto his hand. He quickly stuck it under cold water, and no real damage was done. He finished pouring the cup, and sighed as he took a sip. He went back to his room, feeling more human and slipped into a pair of jeans. Then he put on a white wife beater and put on a red shirt, his insignia. He also grabbed the leather jacket before also grabbing his sunglasses and went back to the kitchen.

"Where're you going?" Ayame asked.

"Kagome's…" Inuyasha murmured. "She found out last night."

"What? How?" Ayame asked, sticking her spoon in her mouth.

"Naraku. He came to the party," Inuyasha growled. Ayame pondered this.

"Well, good luck. Did she kick you out of her life?"

"Surprisingly, no," Inuyasha said. "She said she would give me a second chance since she trusted me. I gave her the radio tapes anyway. Knowing her, she probably didn't sleep the whole night, and is probably still listenting to them right now."

"Probably," Ayame said.

Inuyasha grabbed some bread, stuck it in his mouth, and left.

* * *

Miroku blew out a breath. "Wow." 

Sango curled up next to him, grinning. "I know. I feel the same way."

"It's never been… like that…" Miroku mumbled.

"Well, you've never told me you loved me- that damn show doesn't count, I thought you were kidding- and I do believe it was the first time that we've proposed to _each other_," Sango said, amusement coloring her voice.

"I never expected _my _Sango to kneel on a knee," Miroku said teasingly, stroking her cheek. Sango chuckled.

"Kagome gave me a little talk," Sango said.

"Remind me to thank her," Miroku said. Sango laughed.

"You know, you never did answer me," Sango said thoughtfully. You just kind of plucked me from the floor and-"

"Absolutely, certainly, without a doubt in my mind, yes!" Miroku said, covering her mouth with his own.

"So we're getting married, then?" Sango asked breathlessly when he pulled away. He covered her mouth with his again. "So that means-" he kissed her again. Sango melted against him with a purr, laughing when he rose a brow suggestively at her.

"Big wedding or small wedding?" Miroku asked, after they… after they did the unmentionables. Again.

"I think I want family and friends only," Sango said. Miroku thought.

"So… a small one?"

"Don't you have a lot of friends?" Sango asked, surprised. Miroku looked at her in bewilderment.

"We've been going out for years and you don't know that the only people I _really _like are you, Inuyasha, and a few other select people?" Miroku asked. Sango shrugged. "What about you?"

"I have you, Inuyasha, and… I think I'm going to ask Kagome to be my Maid of Honor. Then I have my little brother, of course, and Kirara-" Speaking of the cat-demon, there was a mew outside the door. "She's hungry," Sango said. Miroku sighed, throwing off the blanket.

"I'll go feed her…" Sango watched as Miroku walked across the room-naked.

He seemed slender, but she knew that he had numerous hidden muscles. It was such a nice, lean, muscular body. She wondered how she landed someone like him. Now, she would have to incorporate into the wedding vows something about not ogling other women…

She knew he did it a lot just to make her mad, and to annoy the hell out of her. Still, sometimes, she couldn't help but wonder.

Miroku came back, closed the door again. "I don't know why she just doesn't go out to hunt," Miroku grumbled. "I even installed a kitty door into the back door for her."

"You know the law," Sango said. "She can't assume her natural form unless there is a danger."

"I know, I know… What a stupid law," Miroku said. He sighed when Sango moved out of the bed. "Darling, please do come back. I feel chilly without your warmth," he said, pouting. Sango rolled her eyes.

"Shut up," she said, before putting some clothes on. Miroku silently mourned the loss of skin. She opened the curtains, letting the morning sun reach its tendrils inside. Miroku nearly hissed.

"Close those curtains!" Miroku said, shielding his eyes. "At least let me get adjusted!"

"Wake up, you sleepy-head," Sango said, throwing his clothes on the bed. "We have to go to work. Inuyasha's probably not gonna show today either, so it's all on us today…" He drew the blanket over his head, and abruptly curled up into the fetal position as Sango yanked the blanket off.

"Is it too late to withdraw my proposal?" Miroku grumbled, standing. Sango grinned at him.

"Sorry. Can't take it back now." Miroku groaned.

* * *

Something strange was going on here. Inuyasha remained in her car, staring. Something wasn't right. His gut feeling told him not to get out of the car. His instincts were usually right, and he knew he hit the mark when Kagome walked out. 

Kagome had a power tool.

He gripped the keys, ready to stick them into the ignition and drive off before she could score a hit. This woman was obviously not mentally sound.

"Inuyasha!" she called, a smile lighting her face. Inuyasha stuck the keys into the ignition, but didn't turn. Why did she seem so happy? Had she heard his confession on the radio already? Was she happy because he loved her? Maybe she loved him back!

He quickly jumped out of the car, striding over to her. He kept an arm's length away from her, just in case she was going to try something with that power tool. He didn't know why, but even with his life in danger of being speared by a nail, he found it sexy to see her hair tied back and the power tool in her hand.

"You can help me _fix _the door that _you _broke… Right?" Kagome asked sweetly. Inuyasha sighed. So _that's _why she was smiling. She was threatening him. He should have known.

"Yeah," he said. He went into her house, noting the two bags of popcorn, and removed his jacket. He went back out, and held the door for her as she drilled some of the screws back into place.

"Why don't you just get a new door? Look- the doorframe is cracked," Inuyasha said, pointing out the obvious split in the wood.

"I know. This is just going to be my temporary door before I get another one in," Kagome said, drilling in another screw back in place. In the end, the door was a bit lopsided, and she needed to lift one side slightly to get it to close. And the lock didn't work, which didn't really matter since she never locked the door anyway. "I already called the door people. They're going to install it tomorrow," Kagome said, and walked into her house. She noticed the two empty bags of popcorn and threw them away.

"So… Did you listen to all the tapes?" Inuyasha asked uneasily. Her easygoing manner threatened to choke him with suspension and tension.

Kagome shrugged. She knew what he was asking. _Did you hear me say those three words? _

"More or less. I fast-forwarded through some of it," Kagome said. She sat on the sofa, turned the TV on. Inuyasha frowned. What did that mean? Did that mean she didn't hear him say, "I love her"? Why was she being so unresponsive?

He sat next to her, awkwardly waiting. He waited, watching the TV show she was watching without really seeing it.

Kagome wanted to strangle him. Why didn't he say it to her now? She wanted him to say it to her personally, not on some tape that wasn't even said directly _to _her, but to millions of people in Japan. _She _wanted to hear it, to know it, to relish in it. If he just told her those three magic words, she would forgive him for all the misdeeds that he had committed against her.

He thought he was going to pop. What did she want him to do? Why was she just sitting there, staring blankly at the TV? Did she hear? Did she know?

He sighed, sitting back against the cushions, wishing this tense, thick atmosphere would go away. If only women told men what they were supposed to do. Then all this drama could be avoided.

"What do you want?" he asked suddenly, unable to bear it any longer. Kagome sighed, gave him a glare, and stood.

"Figure it out," she bit out, before going into her bedroom.

He sat there, stunned. When had she become angry? Gritting his teeth, he followed her into the bedroom.

"Oi! Wench! What's your problem?" he asked. Kagome was letting down her hair, brushing it through in the bathroom. He felt the familiar lust heat him, along with the anger.

Kagome refused to speak. Inuyasha strolled into the restroom, grabbing her upper arms and forcing her to look at him. What he saw made him swear. Her eyes were pooling with tears, and she was ruthlessly holding them back. He drew her against him, kissed her hard.

"I love you, bitch, but you'll drive me-"

Kagome was suddenly wrapped around him, kissing him, driving him back before he regained his footing. He groaned as he felt her teeth nip his lip. She kissed the strong column of his throat before tilting her face up to his again. "That's what I wanted. I wanted you to love me," she whispered.

Inuyasha framed her face with his hands, his face serious. "Then you'll have what you want for all of eternity," he said, and drew back when she started to laugh. "What?" he demanded, wanting to know what was so amusing.

"That was so cheesy!" Kagome laughed, and Inuyasha started to draw back, scowling and blushing. Kagome threw her arms around his neck, forbidding any backward movement. "I love it," she whispered before gently settling her mouth over his.

**(This is the slightly citrusy part I was talking about! Read after the line-thingy, if citrus stuff makes you squirmy)**

Kagome pushed him towards the bed, and he went willingly, until his knees hit the bed. He sat, drawing Kagome between his legs. He drew away from the kiss with a shuddering breath, then gave her a hard look.

"What about you?" he asked, his voice husky. Kagome bit her lip against another laugh, gave him a smacking kiss on the nose.

"You don't know? I've been in love with you since before I was sober," Kagome said. Inuyasha laughed and drew her down to him.

Kagome knew that there was no backing out this time. They were going to make love to each other.

He covered every inch of her face with kisses, as if mapping out the skin on her face with his lips. Kagome returned the favor, her hands on his ears. He rumbled appreciatively, then drew away.

"What's with you touching my ears every time?" Inuyasha asked, rubbing his own ears. Kagome shrugged, and smiled.

"It's one of the things I love about you. It's what makes you special," Kagome said. Inuyasha smiled, kissing her softly.

"However did I find you?"

"Drunk and raving mad," Kagome drawled, and he laughed. Her hands went back to his ears, and they were kissing again, and his hands went to the nerves on her back. She arched against him, gasping into his mouth.

He turned, making her lie on the bed. He slowly stripped her of her clothes, his eyes roving over every inch of skin exposed. Kagome was blushing, but she didn't move to cover herself. She gave him a defiant glance, as if daring him to say she was fat, or ugly. He sucked in a breath.

"Beautiful…" he said, and took off his own clothes before kissing her again. He nibbled on her neck, drawing out marks that would catch the attentions of others. He blew on them, grinning. He went back up to her mouth, feasting. This was what he needed for survival. Not food, not water, not air… Even his precious motorcycle. He would show her how much he needed her.

She gave out a soft cry when he sank into her slowly, tenderly.

Slowly, lovingly, he took them both higher and higher, until abruptly, they fell off an edge.

* * *

"Wow," Kagome said, unconsciously echoing Miroku's earlier sentiments. Inuyasha grinned against her temple. He had rolled them over so that she was lying on top of him now, and his hand covered her bottom. 

"How do you feel?" Inuyasha asked, pressing a kiss to her temple. Kagome sighed.

"I feel wonderful!" she said enthusiastically, pressing a kiss to his jaw. "I never knew…"

"Hm…" Then Inuyasha paused. He froze when a thought occurred to him. They had completely forgotten about protection.

"Kagome… I know… Well, I know you don't have any experience, but by any chance…" he wondered if he could choke it out, but he had to. He _would_ take responsibility. "Are you on the pill?" He felt her tense on top of him, then she looked down at his equally tense face, her mouth open in shock.

"We didn't have any protection!" she yelled, then she abruptly dropped her face into the side of his neck, hiding herself.

"Kagome, calm down," Inuyasha said, his hand going down her back soothingly. She bit into the juncture between his neck and shoulder, and he flinched. His hand clamped down on her neck, forcing her head up. "What the hell was that for?"

"Don't tell me to calm down!" Kagome yelled. Then she took a deep breath, turning her head away to stare at one of her white walls. "Actually… I… I don't think I mind," Kagome admitted.

Inuyasha groaned again, never thinking a statement like that could make his body surge with lust again, but it did. He gently pushed her off him, and went to wear his boxers and jeans. He turned back to her, and was horrified to see tears rolling down her cheeks.

"You don't want a child, do you?" Kagome asked tearfully. Inuyasha cursed and strode over to her.

"Kagome, I-"

"That's okay. I'll take care of him by myself," Kagome said. Inuyasha cursed again, grasping her upper arms and forcing her up to her knees to be eye level with him. His hand grasped her chin, forcing her to look at him.

"You don't even know for sure yet," Inuyasha said, exasperated. Kagome tried to wrench her arms from his grasp, but his hold tightened. "Kagome-"

"Let go! I should never have… have…" Kagome continued to struggle, the tears going down her cheeks. How did one deal with having a loved one reject your child? "You would walk away if I had a baby!" she yelled.

"No I wouldn't!" Inuyasha yelled back. "That's what I'm trying to tell you! I wouldn't _mind_!"

All was still for the space of a second.

She thumped him on the shoulder, her tears suddenly gone. She wiped them off furiously, wrenching her arms out of his grip.

"Why didn't you tell me before!" Kagome yelled. Inuyasha growled, watching her get dressed.

"I was _trying _to tell you before!" Inuyasha yelled back. He paused. "So do you think you are?" Kagome shrugged.

"I'm… not sure," Kagome said haltingly. Inuyasha sighed.

"Well, tell me if you miss your next period," Inuyasha said. Kagome wrinkled her nose.

"I'm not due until next month. I'll get a pregnancy test," Kagome said. Inuyasha nodded in agreement.

"If you're pregnant, we'll get married. I want our child to have my name," Inuyasha said. Kagome nodded.

"Of course we will. I don't want him to think he was unloved," Kagome said. She sighed, throwing herself back on the bed, now fully clothed. Inuyasha leaned over her, giving her a chaste kiss.

"I have to get to work," Inuyasha said. Kagome suddenly shot up, falling back on the bed with a groan when her head collided with Inuyasha's. "What the hell, wench!"

"Sorry!" she said, rubbing her forehead. "I just forgot I have to go to work, too!" She looked down at her attire. "I have to change, get ready… I am _so _late!"

"Well, hurry up, because we only have your car. You have to give me a ride, too." Kagome paused.

"The radio station?" Kagome asked curiously, a devious smile on her face.

"Um… Yeah," Inuyasha said, his forehead wrinkling in confusion.

"Great!" she cried out, and ushered him out of the room.

"What's the rush? It's not like it's nothing I haven't seen before," Inuyasha said, and laughed when she just shut the door in his face and he heard the lock click.

He settled on the sofa, turning the TV off. He laid back on the cushions, sighing in satisfaction. He had finally gotten his vixen into bed, after admitting he loved her. He blew out a breath as he remembered everything that had happened in her bed. Wow was what she had said, and wow was the only word he could think of, too.

He felt unsatiable, still wanting to make love to her over and over, but the lack of protection made him stop himself.

God. He wished he had brought a whole pack of condoms with him. Still he had thought this day would end with tears and suicide. Or murder.

What if she was pregnant? He really didn't mind. In fact, he _wanted _to make her pregnant with his pups. He imagined her, her belly swollen with his child…

He _really _regretted not bringing those condoms.

Kagome's door opened, and he watched as she sashayed out in a business suit that had his mouth watering. With the collar up, no doubt hiding the marks he had given her. It was a pinstripe suit. Oh, he was practically rolling over on the carpet, asking her to rub his belly.

"Kagome…" he kissed her slowly, and she responded, before roughly pushing him away. She looked at him speculatively, a slow smile spreading on her face. He only watched her intently. His hand moved, smoothing down the collar. He looked at the marks with satisfaction before pulling her collar back up. Kagome ignored the whole action.

"You have lip gloss on, now," Kagome said. Inuyasha's tongue darted out to taste her lip gloss, and she looked startled.

"Tastes good," Inuyasha said in a low tone, making Kagome shiver appreciatively.

"Let's go, before… Let's just go," Kagome said quickly. Inuyasha agreed. Being alone with Kagome wasn't a good idea. First thing on his grocery list was condoms.

Kagome took her keys back, getting behind the wheel. "I don't see why you just won't let _me _drive," Inuyasha said, sulking in the passenger seat.

"Because it's _my _car," Kagome pointed out. She backed out, then drove quickly according to Inuyasha's directions, to his work place.

"Wow… It's kind of big, for a radio station," Kagome murmured. Inuyasha shrugged.

"We have tours, too. Never during my show, since I don't want my identity revealed, or whatever, but we have them. We also have a small souvenir shop on the first floor, and lots of other rooms to handle different things. And we're not the only ones to use the satellite. Just the most popular," Inuyasha said smugly.

"Well excuse me, your highness," Kagome murmured. Inuyasha tilted her face up and kissed her quickly before getting out of the car.

"All right. So I'll see you later. Do you want to pick me up from work, or…?"

"I'll pick you up," Kagome said, and watched him nod and stealthily disappear into the building.

Kagome drove to work, sighing as she got out of her car. She didn't want to work. Still, she had asked for a day off, so that she could surprise Inuyasha at his workplace. Myouga had agreed, but said not today, since they had lots to discuss. She had to agree.

Kagome headed towards the boardroom, and found Myouga and a few other executives there. Some were from other companies. Most were from their own company.

"Ah! Kagome… You were a bit… late," Myouga said, a suggestive twinkle in his eyes. Kagome blushed, and fought to make her face return to a normal color.

"Yeah… I had a little trouble this morning," Kagome said.

"Her and my grandson… They're a bit… _involved_," Myouga whispered to the man sitting next to him. Well, it wasn't exactly a whisper... More like a hoarse scream.

"Myouga!" Kagome screeched, mortified. "We're in a professional meeting, and we should act that way!" Most of the boardroom members were laughing. They immediately stopped when they saw Kagome's stern expression.

"Sorry, Kagome. Sorry, minna-san. Just had to put that in somewhere," Myouga said gleefully. Kagome gave him a dark look. "Anyways, I've organized this meeting, because as I'm sure you all have noticed, Naraku was at the party last night."

They all nodded their agreements, murmuring.

"What I want to know is… How did he get in?" Myouga asked harshly. "What happened to the security guards? Not to mention he also disappeared without a trace. Security guards didn't remember him. Either they were bribed _very _well by Naraku, or there was an inside man."

Everyone nodded in agreement. "I think the guards were bribed. Who would Naraku know that we don't know, that would open a back door for him?" asked one man.

"It's someone that we _could _know," Kagome pointed out. "It's not like anyone who knows us is automatically loyal to us. There are a number of employees that could have been bribed, as well." Everyone nodded again, murmuring their own opinions.

"Also, we have the matter of how we're going to be pitted against Naraku. He wants this company to break it down and sell off the pieces for a profit, the bastard. He doesn't want any competition," Myouga stated. "If we combine all our-"

"Excuse me, Myouga, but I'm not sure that's a good idea. Eventually, he'll target _us _as well, and I can't risk my company like that," one man said. He looked plump, pleasant, but as soon as those words left his mouth, Kagome immediately disliked him.

"Look… I agree with him… I can't risk my company like that either," another man said, pulling on his collar as if he needed more room to breathe. Kagome glared down each man, and unfortunately, each man started to voice their withdrawal of their support. Soon, all of them were looking uncomfortable in their chairs, Kagome's anger changed to shock. Myouga didn't look any better off. He looked a bit paler, considering the blood of the man he had been drinking from.

"So… That's it? You said you were going to support us last night at the party!" Kagome said angrily, getting her temper back.

"Kagome… It's not that simple… My head was fuzzy with wine," the man sitting at the other end of the table said. Kagome grit her teeth.

"Mr. Fujikawa-"

"That's enough, Kagome," Myouga said sternly. Kagome broke off, steaming. Her hands balled into fists.

"I can't believe you old buggers are backing out," Toutousai said in his wheezy voice, finally speaking up. He was sitting next to Kagome, and he gave her hand a pat of comfort and reassurance. "Did he threaten your families?" he asked. Each man shifted uncomfortably some more. Toutousai laughed in his breathy voice.

"Threatened mine, too. Too bad all he has to threaten is a three-eyed bull that helps me out sometimes," Toutousai said amusedly. "Now, look around. If we combined all our companies against him, kind of a rebellion of a tyrant, then wouldn't he be forced to be overthrown?"

"There are always casualties," the pleasant, plump man said. Kagome had forgotten his name. It was… Mr. Ichiro!

"Mr. Ichiro," Kagome said, a sweet smile on her face just in case Myouga misunderstood her intentions, "Of course there will be casualties. Not fatal ones, of course, because he wouldn't dare. But how long until he comes after _your _company?" She turned to Mr. Fujikawa. "Or _yours_?" Kagome sat back, satisfied with the hesitant silence surrounding the group.

"The only casualties here will occur only if we let them occur," Kagome said. She felt more confident now; more assured that they were going to gain their support back. If not all, then some.

"Well, we will give you all the time to think over it. Please don't make any hasty decisions," Myouga said. "This meeting is adjourned." People were starting to get up. Kagome knew that some would walk out the door and possibly not return. Still, others would stay, and put in their two cents.

Hopefully, that would be enough. Kagome looked at the clock. It was almost one o' clock. She grinned. She was going to listen in on 102.5 today and see what Inuyasha talked about during his so-called "Kikyou hour".

* * *

"I see. So you two proposed to each other?" Inuyasha asked, nibbling on a cracker. 

"Yes. Isn't it just sweet? Me and my Sango… Together forever!" Miroku winked at Sango who only rolled her eyes. Inuyasha pushed the button to pick up a phone call.

"102.5 FM. What's your thoughts on this insane matter?" Inuyasha asked.

"This is Suki. It's so romantic! I can't believe-" Inuyasha disconnected the call. He made a face at Miroku.

"Too sweet. Hand me another cracker, will ya?" Inuyasha asked, letting his listeners decide whether he was talking about the cracker or the phone call. Miroku rolled his own eyes, shaking his head at Inuyasha.

"Okay, next call," Inuyasha said.

"Okay, so we heard one romantic story, and I know it's not one yet, but… What happened between-" Inuyasha disconnected on her, too.

"Hanyou! It's only _five _minutes until one!" Miroku said, outraged on the listeners' behalf.

"Well, then… She should have been able to wait five minutes!" Inuyasha said, pouting and crossing his arms. Miroku smacked himself on the forehead.

"Hanyou, I know patience is a virtue, but this is going too-"

"Okay, it's one!" Inuyasha said happily. Miroku gaped.

"It is not!" he cried indignantly.

"My internal clock says it is," Inuyasha said haughtily.

"You have no-"

"I told Kikyou everything at the party, and Kikyou and I did it this morning," Inuyasha said gleefully. Miroku was shocked into silence for a moment. Then, he leaned forward, a twinkle in his eye.

"Quick to forgive, our little Kikyou. Was it good?" Miroku asked. Inuyasha chewed his cracker as if it was the food of the kings.

"I think it was better than good. Better than great. Mind-blowing. Absolutely, positively, stunningly, surprisingly-"

"Okay, we get the point," Miroku said. Inuyasha grinned at him.

"Patience is a virtue," Inuyasha said. Miroku narrowed his eyes at the hanyou, his eye twitching with restrained temper.

Sango watched the whole thing from the window, noticing the role reversal. Usually, it was Inuyasha that was annoyed with Miroku, but today, it seemed that Inuyasha was gloating a little too much for Miroku. She saw Miroku take a deep breath and say, "Well, Sango and I also had some absolutely, positively-" Sango screeched, not that he could hear.

"That's good for you," Inuyasha said quickly, cutting in and making a face, much to Sango's relief.

"What? You can talk about your sex life, but I can't talk about mine?" Miroku asked.

"Exactly," Inuyasha said. Miroku scowled. "Anyways, she might be pregnant. I didn't exactly remember protection," Inuyasha said sheepishly. Miroku was shocked speechless.

"And… you're not at all affected by this?" Miroku asked.

"Of course I am!" Inuyasha snapped. "Who wouldn't be affected by a baby, you dope!"

"No! I mean… it's not affecting you as in… You don't want this baby?" Inuyasha looked at him blankly.

"Why wouldn't I want the baby?" Inuyasha asked incredulously. Miroku didn't think he could be shocked speechless again, but he was. Gosh, this was turning into some kind of record.

"Uh…"

"What the hell's wrong with you?"

"Hanyou, you _do _realize that most baby-makers-" Inuyasha coughed at Miroku's name for males. "-usually _don't _want their babies?"

"I know. I'm not one regular 'baby-maker' though," Inuyasha said proudly. Miroku smiled in an awkward fashion.

"I'm sure you're proud, Hanyou…" Miroku just shook his head when Inuyasha nodded with pride. "No shame… No shame at all…"

"But… We don't know yet. I kinda forgot about protection when I went over there this morning," Inuyasha said. Suddenly, he started to vibrate. No, not _him, _but his _phone _started to vibrate.

"Uh… Inuyasha…?" Miroku said as he noticed the buzzing sound. Inuyasha glanced at the caller ID screen, winced.

"Maybe the secret coming out wasn't such a good thing. It's Ka- Kikyou. I'll have to take this call." Inuyasha went outside after taking off his headset, and quickly picked up the phone.

"Inuyasha you better explain yourself and explain yourself _good_!" Kagome yelled shrilly into the phone. She didn't care if people looked at her silhouette in the office, wondering why she was throwing things everywhere. She had already made several scuff marks on the walls, and she believed there was a large dent… somewhere.

"Kagome, darling-"

"Don't you 'darling' me, you egotistical-"

"Now, now… It's just for the show, babe!" Inuyasha said hastily. "Besides. I'm _proud _that we finally got around to it. It's an experience that I wanted to share-"

"Not with all of _Japan_!" Kagome shrieked.

"_Yes_, with _all _of Japan, because I love you, you might be pregnant, and I am _so unbelievably, freakishly happy_!" Inuyasha said on a long breath. Kagome paused.

"You'd be really happy if I was pregnant, huh?" Kagome said. Inuyasha paused, too.

"More than you know, sweetheart. I guess people would believe that I wouldn't want one. Well, that's bullshit. Kagome, you should know better, too. I told you I loved you. There's only one other woman I told that, too, and she's long dead. Oh, and my mother, but I don't think she counts. When I say it, I mean it. Eventually, I'm going to want the whole package- kids, a house with a white picket fence, a backyard, a dog-"

"You want a _dog_?" Kagome asked, horrified that she _wasn't _horrified about the fact that Inuyasha wanted commitment. When did she _ever _know a guy to want commitment? Where exactly _was _Inuyasha all her life?

"Yeah… A dog. You have something wrong with that?" Inuyasha asked. Kagome muffled her chuckle.

"No, of course not… Just… wouldn't it be weird? You being a dog-demon and all…"

"_Half_ dog-demon," Inuyasha growled. "But _no_, it would _not _be weird. Don't be such a bitch, Kagome."

"_What!_" Kagome's amusement was gone. Then she paused. Shouldn't she be a little more impacted? He had all but proposed to her in one, long, drawn out sentence, and they weren't even talking about it. They were talking about a dog. Oh dear.

Hesitantly, she asked, "Are we gonna get married?"

"Most likely," Inuyasha said cheerfully, glad that her temper was abated.

"Oh… Okay," Kagome said slowly.

"Well, I have to get back into work now, so see you later…Oh, and we need to stop by the grocery store… Get someprotection," Inuyasha said suggestively, lowly. Kagome blushed, one of her hands going to her warm cheeks as the other gripped the phone.

"I hope you're not saying _this _over the radio. Still, I'm glad _I _was the first one, at least, to hear your intentions," Kagome said, adding a bit of haughtiness to her tone to try to cover up her embarrassment.

"Well, I'm sure the listeners can put two and two together…" he heard Miroku shout out a curse that was undoubtedly bleeped out. Uh-oh. Time to go back. "Or maybe not. Pick me up by five." He hung up, grinning as he pocketed the phone and went back in.

* * *

Three hours later, she was still inshock. Had he proposedto her today? And had she _accepted_?Had he _told _her that they were going to have sex tonight and had she _agreed_? What _happened _to her? Oh, her mother would have a stroke if she knew… Or provide the condoms, depending on the guy. Kagome thought. She decided her mother would provide the condoms if it was Inuyasha. 

"Whatcha thinking about, Kagome?" A voice rasped on her neck. She automatically slapped a hand to it, watched as Myouga floated down to her desk. "You and Inuyasha are exactly alike!" he fumed after he puffed himself back out.

"I didn't give you permission to drink my blood," Kagome said hotly. Myouga chuckled.

"I didn't. I _did _notice the presents that Inuyasha left you, too," Myouga said. Kagome rolled her eyes.

"That egotistical jerk. He did it on purpose!" Kagome said. She paused. "Myouga, we need to talk."

"Yes, Kanna told me. She said you called for me, and would like to speak with me regarding Naraku," Myouga said. Kagome frowned.

"Yeah, like two hours ago… How did he get into the party?" Kagome asked. "He didn't have an invitation, right?" Kagome asked. Myouga shook his head.

"Also, he knew that Inuyasha was you-know-who," Kagome said, lowering her voice. Myouga looked at her surprised.

"You know?" Myouga asked. Kagome rolled her eyes again.

"Yes. He brought me the tapes. Now, you're not answering my question. _How did he know_?" Kagome asked. Myouga looked just as baffled as she was.

"This is serious… That means he could also reveal who Inuyasha is…" Myouga thought pensively. Kagome laid her head on her arms on the desk, peering straight at Myouga.

"So what do we do?" she muttered. Myouga thought, thought some more, and thought a little bit harder.

"We should…" Myouga sighed. "Kagome, I don't know what to do… This is so out of control now… He has every possible hook on us… All he has to do is drag us in…" Myouga looked sincerely troubled, and Kagome in return started to feel a bit of fear. What happened when- _if_-Naraku took over the company?

Kagome sat up, twirling a pen between her fingers. "Not good," she murmured. "Not good at all."

"Inuyasha must know about this," Myouga said. Kagome sighed.

"I think he does… I just think he hasn't processed it yet, or he would have been making a big deal out of it."

"Yes, I agree. Will you tell him since…" Amusement made his eyes twinkle again. "Since you two are a bit… _closer _now?"

"Sure," Kagome said, trying to fight the color from seeping into her face. "Well, then… I'm off. I have to pick up Inuyasha today, too. So I'll see you later, Myouga." She started to pack up her purse, her face drawn in concentration. What could she do to stop the impending takeover of the company? She would undoubtedly lose her job if Naraku _did _manage to take it over.

Denial at this stage was the best course of action. She would pretend that there was nothing wrong… At least until tomorrow. Her nerves and her integrity didn't allow her to ignore the problems at hand for long.

"Bye Myouga," she said as she went out the door.

"Bye, Kagome…" Myouga then promptly sat on her desk, his face screwed up in distaste. "How did he know…?"

* * *

**wk**: Whoo! Okay. Chapter thirteen done. I named this chapter **"Proposal"**for three reasons: Sango and Miroku's proposal, Inuyasha's... er... proposal (?) to Kagome, and the proposal of the idea of getting rid of Naraku. Band together my pretties! Mwahaha...! 

Eh hem... Just a little hyper... Now time for the...

**_ReViEw oF rEvIeWs_**:

Wow! I'm so glad I got this type of response, **flip-x-fantasy**. I seriously considered your idea for Sango and Miroku, but I dunno... I guess it's because I'm trying to be atypical and do _everything _just... _not _normal. I think it's become my obsession. I've read so many stories with the same plotline (Don't get me wrong, some of them are still _wonderful_) but I just wanted mine to be different... Fresh, I suppose. Hope you liked it, and you're always free to give me your truthful response! (Smiles)

Strangely, I like this chapter. I don't really have any regrets about it. Strangely, again, it might be the chapter that readers don't like. Oh well. Glad it's on your re-read list, **skitzoid**! Makes me happy that people wanna read it again!

Haha, if he broke down my door, I don't think I would have been laughing... (Grins) Glad you liked her response. This is the second part of her response, I suppose, so I hope you liked that, too! And I kinda... forgot about Kouga and Ayame... (Hangs head in shame) So you'll have to wait for their relationship and the door for the next chapter, **Emerald Ash**!

Hope you liked her reaction to the tapes, **Keiko89**!

I hurried as fast as I could when I saw the reaction to the last chapter, **Touya**! Thanks for your comment! Spurs me on!

I'm cooking up the sequel in the back of my head, actually... But first, I must think of the happy ending for this one... Hehe, but you'll have to wait for both... I'm not sure when I'm going to put up the ending, but... It'll be soon! ... I think... Hmm... I'm confused... Ah... Well... Wait for it, **WakeRobin**!

Oh, goodness... I thought soooo long and hard about your review, **Drake Clawfang**, but... I'm going to have a variation of it... later... Thanks so much for your ideas! I have such a good idea formulating in my brain right now, and it's all thanks to you! I owe you so much! Thanks again!

Oops... Sorry about that, **AngelOfDiamonds**! I'm probably going to fix it when I go through the story and edit it. And you read about... er... Kagome's "reaction" to the tapes... and... shamefully... I forgot about Kouga and Ayame's relationship. I'll have more in the next chapter! Promise!

Didn't have to wait long, did you, **sapphirepink**? And as for Naraku knowing... I'll try to explain it in the next chapter. And I don't know how many more chapters there will be, because I really don't plan these things out. I just write whatever I feel like writing at the time. My muse is staying with me, thank God... Hopefully, she'll move in and stay. And yeah... I didn't like how Ayame followed Kouga around and stuff, so I switched it to fit my story. Glad you liked it. And I'm realllllyyyy honored that it was the longest review you've ever written! Makes me feel warm and fuzzy.

Thanks, **The Forgotten Child**! Glad I have style...!

Hehe, I didn't make Inu suffer for long, **Fushigi Aoi Tenshi**! Hope that was okay. (Grins) Hope you didn't wait too long for this one. Thanks for your review!

I rushed, but it was a natural kind of rush... Like, a sugar rush, you know? I felt like writing, sat down, and just kinda stared at my fingers as they moved across the keyboard. My fingers are little geniuses, I'm tellin' ya, **auroralite**... Haha, just kidding! Anyways, hope you didn't think this was _too _rushed and too vague. I kinda spat it out, liked it, and put it up. Tell me your opinion!

Hehe, that's okay, **twagirl**! I think favoritest is a word. It's a word in the **WK DICTIONARY**. That's _my _dictionary. Hehe. (Winks) So glad you love my writing! Give Ron my best, and glad you recommended me to your readers! Thanks for your review, and I'll be looking forward to your next one!

I was gonna have her throw a shoe at him, but scaring him with the power drill seemed funnier. Maybe... I should have stuck with the shoe? And the water barrel is fine with me, so long as it's on our Inu-baby. (Sighs and drools) Excuse me, I have to go wipe off my saliva now, **drake220**. Looking forward to your next review!

Glad I was able to give you a few laughs, Will. Sorry about your life being shot to hell... If my fic makes it any better, all the better! I hope it gets better for you, and if you need to talk about your problems to anyone, e-mail me. I'm here. (You're not the only one with the corny lines: I'm stock full of 'em) Thanks, **Kombat-King** for your comment! Looking forward to your next one...!

No problem, **Esther Tan**! If my fic was confused with a good one, no harm done! If it was confused with a bad one... Haha, just kidding! Don't worry about it. Lord knows my own memory is shot to hell.And I made it so! Kagome forgave Inuyasha! Whoo! Hope you have some of your nails left for the next chapter! Thanks for your last note!

I thought about your review too, **Inu-ears**- Oh my goodness, you have _no _idea how many good ideas I get just from reading you guys's (it's not a word, I know...) reviews! Eventually, I try to shape a chapter that everyone will be happy with, so I hope you're okay with this chapter. I didn't have anyone break in, because... Well, because it didn't fit with the story right now. And I didn't want to make it _too _cliche... Not yet. And yeah, when Kagome finds out he was making _money _on the show...she might just get to use her high heels for something other than walking. But whoknoez? We'll see.

Hehe, thanks, **Starrchick101**! Yeah... I try to avoid cliffhangers, but being part of an evil author means including at least some of them. And God knows my thighs don't need anymore cookies. And... I kinda forgot to include Ayame and Kouga in this chapter. You'll have to wait for the next chapter to hear about them. Yum! Looks like my thighs love cookies!

Thanks. I'll need that luck, **inulova4lyfe**!

Glad I could brighten up that bad day, **Aryante**! And extra-drama just doesn't cut the cake for me. Bleh. Hope you're okay with that... and you saw what Kagome thought of the tapes. (Chuckles) Thanks for your review!

No problem, **Divine-Red-Crayon**! Going off on tangents are always fun. Glad you finally reviewed! And yeah... I knew it kinda went downhill. I'm pretty sure the story's gonna go downhill from here, until I get to something interesting. Don't worry. I'll have something interesting soon... Such as... Well, can't tell ya. That would be ruining it. Hope I bounced back this chapter, and hope you liked it. Thanks for your review! Glad you had some helpful criticism! Can't wait for the next one! (Smiles)

Hehe, _all _of your questions will be answered as soon as the _other _secret's out. Yep! I have another one... It's not a _big _secret, just... It helps along the plot. Anyways, hope you didn't have to wait too long for this chapter, **NefCanuck**! Glad you liked the last one! Can't wait for your next review!

Thanks, **SesshoumaruGal**! Yeah... I _wanted _to update this one. I think it's an okay chapter as far as most of my chapters go. Tell me what you thought!

Hehe, I tried to not make it _too _dramatic, but obviously, you liked it, right, **xXlovablekdXx**? Well, hope so, in any case. (Grins)

I would be crying, too, if I was up at 7:47 reading fanfics and getting ready for school, **Nyehaan**. PJs are so comfortable... Don't you just wish you could just wear PJs everywhere? I want to... Anyways, thanks for your review, and your dedication to be reading it so early in the morning!

Oh, man... _I _cried when Harry's godfather died. I was blubbering like a fool. And I told you, so hopefully, you're not too mad anymore... Right, **InuYasha's-1-and-only-lov**?

In that case, I should be top-notch, 'cause I almost never like my own chapters. Hehe, just kidding. I think I'm okay... I just need to fine-tune it. And idealists don't get to me. Just thought my opinion should be stated, too. Okay, I'm lying. He/she got to me a little. And yeah, I didn't want Kagome to go through that oh-so-very-familiar routine. Not in my story, anyway. I'd like to think that's how _I'd _react if my man did that. Hopefully, you liked her reaction to the tapes. I think I made it a little too mild, but I dunno... I guess I just really liked the power drill? Anyways... Thanks _SOO _much for your constructive criticism, **Midoriko-sama**! I'm looking forward to your next review with your opinion. And Inuyasha's troubles aren't over yet. Mwahaha...

Technology is such a pain in the ass, isn't it, **Sunrider22**? And I don't mind that you didn't review. Just glad you reviewed for the lastone! And it didn't stop at 400! Ohhh, no... Definitely didn't stop there! I'm on four hundred and fifty... three? Four? Gosh, I don't even know! I'm so excited! I'm really surprised that it _did _get this much recognition, but I'm not complaining! (Grins) And I don't know where using the tapes came from. Just popped into my head. I'm full of miscellaneous information like that. Puhehe... Glad you love my story so much! Just so you know... It loves you right back! Thanks for your review! Can't wait for your next one!

That _is _sad! Poor **abstract x heart**! My little sibling is _my _slave. Does everything for me, the loveable little twit. And yeah... Naraku's a bum. As in a butt. And... Well, hopefully, you _didn't _read what Kagome was about to do, cuz... Well... You're too young. Haha...? Well, anyway, I put a warning up before hand, just in case. Waiting for your next review!

Aww, poor **Corner Girl**! I'm tired too. I have SATs coming up, and I've been doing homework and studying non-stop. How sad. Anyways, hope you got some sleep.

I _love _Inuyasha's demon attributes. It's mostly why I fell in love so much with the anime. So what if he's different? It's the differences that make him so special. And do you mean his personality in the show or the fic? Hehe... So confused! look forward to your next review, **Tenshi Koneko**!

Thanks, **ladylatina**! Glad that you think so!

Haha, I never see it in _my_self, **Lola-Gurl**. And we'll have to see about Kouga, Ayame, and Inuyasha. Mwahaha... I'm so evil, 'cause I'm not even gonna give you a _hint _about the what happens between the three of them. And I'm thinking how I'm going to put Rin into the story. Will she be a little girl? Or... Is she gonna be Sesshoumaru's gal, later in the story? Dunno. Give me your opinion!

Well, hope **Saiyou The Lover **is happy now! (Grins) Did you like?

Hehe... I'm kinda surprised Kagome forgave him so quickly, too... (Sweatdrops) But, I figured... What the hell? I'll go for it. And Kagome _is _very forgiving (Not a trait I find in myself, I'll tell you that right now...!). And also, **ChibiKenshin6490**, Kagome, I don't think is overly vindictive. I have her personality a little more assertive in this fic, but, I think she can be still forgiving... Right? Right?

Yay! You found out what happens... Did you like? Did you like, **kixi**?

Haha, we can _all _be a _lot _slow _all _of the times... (Example: Me) Anyways, thanks for the compliments, **Midnight Miko Maiden**!

Haha... No, I didn't gather _any _friends together for this fic, although the idea _is _appealing... Unfortunately, some of the stuff we talk about can be a bit random (Even _too _random for this fic) and our topics aren't stuff to talk about on radios (Example: Poo in a bucket... Don't ask). We _do _discuss serious issues time and time again, and so I have many different opinions on the talk shows... Well, I _try _to. And I try to keep an open mind. That's always the best. And I'm honored that it was your longest review, **Initial A**! Glad you liked my story that much! Thanks again, and I'll see your review next time (Hopefully)!

Hope I updated soon enough, **InuKag Fan**!

Haha, I _loved _your review, **WiCKeD ScHmoNesS**! Mostly because you thought I wasn't going bland. (Happy!) Good luck with your classes... I have classes soon, too. Grr. And we'll see some more of Kouga and Ayame in the next chapter... Can you believe it? I completely forgot to include them in this chapter! Aargh...

Hope you didn't go insane yet, **gothic inuyasha**, 'cause I updated! Yay! Bet you thought it would be _forever_, huh? Wrong! I updated! Hopefully, it _didn't _take forever. Anyways, have fun reading fanfics until God knows what time...! (Smiles)

Haha... Well, **sleep walking chicken and HAP**, I thought it was _such _an original name, and I loved it! I like cows. Oh, and horses. Can't forget the neighing. And hopefully, your friend will come back. So are the fics on your account like... some written by her, and some written by you? Interesting... And haha... the frustration was part of the point in the chapter. I was just going to leave it as Inuyasha saying inheriting the company was his big secret, but then I thought... "You know what? Too many people do that. EDIT!" I seem to have an irritation at having the same plot line in this story. I don't know why. I guess because... Well, the reason you chose your name. I wanted my story to be original, I suppose. Thank you for your support, and I'm eagerly awaiting your next review!

I'm glad that you reviewed, **MM**! Glad you like my story so much! And wow. You check every time you go on, huh? Well,this wasthe update, and I hope you enjoyed it!

I'll try, **angelic-kuti**! But alas... Writing is hard when you've got papers, projects, tests, quizzes, horrible teachers, and college application to look forward to. I'm already in college, but I'm looking forward to transfering to another one. Meh. Hard work.

You know, your review threw me for a spin, **silentslayer**. I mean, why _not _have Naraku take over the company now? Well, the main reason I didn't do that is because... Well, because I had more stuff to write and him trying to take over the company now would ruin most of my plans for the next few chapters. If I _didn't _actually have plans for the next few chapters, I would have definitely used your idea. So thanks, and keep the suggestions coming!

Oh... I think I could cry with all the compliments _you _give me, **SadPoetGoth**! So glad you think I write great stories! (Wipes away tears) I'll wait for your next review!

Hope I updated really really really soon, **storywriter10791**!

Thanks, **inuhoshi**! Glad that you like how I write. And thanks so much for your support! I don't think "Anonymous" was ragging on me, persay, just stating his/her opinion. Shouldn't fault him/her for his/her opinion now, can we? Still, can't deny I was a little miffed. :P And I _do _believe you called me a "talented author". Thanks so much for your compliments, your support, and your love for this story! I look forward to your next review!

Drugs are gooooood, **Daddy's Pixie**. Especially if they make the bad dreams go away. I'm not sure if my method worked for you, but I'm curious... How are you faring?A little better? A little worse? And I'll think about Naraku and the cow demon bit. (Sweatdrops) And I _was _going to stretch it out for Inuyasha, but... (Sighs) I just love him too much. Too much torture can also draw this story out longer than necessary, and I didn't want to do that. What I'm worried about now is how the plot's going to stay afloat, now that Inuyasha's secret is out... I'm thinking of a couple of ways, and hopefully, they won't be too cliche. Anyways, give me your opinion, since Ivalue them so much, and I really do take them to heart. Thanks and I look forward to your next review... a lot!

Er... Well, I'm glad you're very involved in the fic,** Inu-Baby18**, but threats of you getting angry won't work... I'm sorry you got mad in the last chapter about Inuyasha, but I hope this chapter made up for it. You didn't _really _think I was going to leave Inuyasha hanging off a proverbial cliff, now, did you? I _will _tell you right now that this story will have a happy ending, so don't get _too _upset with my chapters. Thanks for sticking with my story!

Thanks so much, **Inuyasha Is Taken.By Me**! I can't believe that you think _this _is the best story out of all of the ones on this site, but what the hell. Who am _I _to say no to flattery, right? Glad you love my story so much!

Hope you didn't have to wait too long for this chapter, **Crystal Aquarius**! Hope you had fun reading it!

Wow, k**agome1**! I'm very happy that mew thinks that this fic is one of the best mew has ever read! And yes... It _does _suck monkey titties that I can't write more, either. Unfortunately, I have college application for transferring, classes, projects, tests, quizzes, notes, and papers to hold some of my attention. Glad mew likes my fic so much!

I wonder if I had Kagome's reaction to be adequate enough... What do you think, **Valese**? She came to her senses very quickly, which I think is going to be people's main complaint about it. Hm... Dunno. Anyways, I'll be looking forward to your opinion in your next review!

I make top three! Whoo! That's some of the best damn news I've heard today, **raven wings xx**. Hope I updated soon enough for ya! Glad you think I'm top three! Whee!

Haha, thanks, **inuyashas demon sista**! I hope I updated soon enough for you, and yes... Inu does need his Kags.

This fic loves you a million times, too, **OtakuHanyouGirl**! Hope I updated soon enough for ya!

Haha... Yeah, it usually takes two to three days just to update, because by the time I'm done with the next chapter, I have the reviews to look forward to, **KrystalJade**. I'm not complaining, of course! I _love _all the feedback I get for this fic, and it keeps me spurred on. I thought it was only adequate to write how thankful I am to each and every reviewer. You guys are so dedicated to this fic, I thought I should at least show some of _my _dedication as well. And "Neighborly Love" is in hiatus for now. I hate to do it, but I'm going to rewrite it... Again. I'm so unsatisfied with that fic. And thanks for sticking with my fics for so long! I have to thank you for your support and your love for the stories! (Grins)

Haha! **Sailor X**, you're so funny! No, I won't make fun of you if you don't like lemons. To each his/her own! Me, I don't really like details. I'd rather skip them, because I'm kinda squirmy myself. Glad you like my fic enough to ignore the limeyness and read it anyway! Thanks!

Haha, thanks, **appzoloot**! Hope I updated soon enough for ya! Glad you like my writing style, and how I have Inuyasha a little musssshhhyyyy... Mwahaha... Inu is mine to manipulate! Eh hem... Anyways, glad you reviewed, and I'll look forward to your next one!

Yeah, at first, I figured Kagome wouldn't forgive him. You know, like... How dare he! But then, I mean... How stupid would _that _be? The man said he _loved _you! On air _and _to you in real life! So I supposed that Kagome would forgive, just because of her nature, and she loves him back. Love conquers all, right, **xSilverShadowsx**?

Thanks, **CrimsonBlade**! Hope I updated soon enough for ya!

Hopefully, you're not dead from the suspense, **not registered**. You know, you should register as "not registered". How funny would that be? Anyways, I hope I updated quickly enough for you, and I hope you enjoyed it!

Thanks **melissa**! Flabbergastedness is always a good sign. (Grins) And thanks for the congrats!

It loves you, too, **SeaBreeze-Yami/Anzu**!

Thanks so much, **Sailor Moon Eternity**! And the rest of my stories aren't so good, but I'll edit them and fix that in the future. And I don't think I have a true _gift _persay... Just a lot of Language Arts classes that made me write so much that I might get carpel-tunnel in the future. (Sweatdrops) Well, thanks so much for your compliments, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well!

* * *

**wk**: Okay. I _have _to thank _everyone _for their part in this story. It's because of your feedback that I get new, fresh ideas, that I get this warm, tingly feeling whenever I log on. I have reached **458 reviews**, and I'm so proud of myself that I'm fit to burst! I'm so glad that all of you love my story so much, and support it so soundly. I know I write something like this at the end of every chapter, but I can't seem to help it when I see the tremendous response to each chapter. I really _do _thank you all from the bottom of my heart, and I hope your lives are going as good as mine is. Thank you so much for your unfailing support, and I express my gratitude to you all. 


	14. Taken

**_SORRY! I ACCIDENTALLY DELETED THE CHAPTER WHILE TINKERING AROUND WITH THE STORY... IT'S STILL THE SAME, DON'T WORRY! (GRIMACES)_**

**Disclaimer**: I _wish_.

**wk**: Whoo! Finally done! I made it especially long for you guys! Like... an Oops Present. Don't ask me what that is, 'cause it just _is_. I'm not _too _happy with this chapter because it feels unconnected and just disorganized. Otherwise, I liked it okay enough. Anyways, I'm so happy at the response I got for my last chapter! I think this story is about to wrap up. One, maybe two or three more chapters until it's done. Before I reveal too much, here's chapter 14!

**Chapter Fourteen  
Taken**

Kagome crossed her eyes for fun while she was waiting for Inuyasha in the parking lot. In her multi-vision, she saw three Inuyashas walking towards her and she grinned and waved foolishly. She uncrossed her eyes, blinking rapidly.

"Are you… all right?" Inuyasha asked as he climbed into the car. Kagome nodded.

"Bored. You're late. It's 5:05 right now. See? Look at the clock," Kagome said. Inuyasha raised a brow.

"Um… I have to have time to gather my stuff and walk out of the building..." Inuyasha said slowly, as if talking to someone deaf or just insane. Probably the latter. Kagome bristled at his tone, but relaxed.

"Well, I didn't waste _all _of my time while you were in there. I called my mother," Kagome said, smiling at Inuyasha. Inuyasha was automatically on guard.

"What did she want?" Inuyasha asked.

"She wants to meet her soon-to-be son-in-law!" Kagome said cheerfully. If Inuyasha had been eating anything, he would have choked on it and died. He wished he had a sandwich now.

"_What?_" he screeched, uncharacteristically in a high-pitched voice. "You _told _her?" Inuyasha asked. Kagome frowned.

"Were you joking?" Kagome asked frostily. Inuyasha shook his head.

"No, but I never equated your family into this…" Inuyasha's forehead wrinkled in thought.

"So… You were thinking about getting married to me, but you _forgot _about my family?" Kagome asked incredulously, her disbelief evident in her tone.

"Well… Yeah," Inuyasha said cautiously. Kagome gave him a dark look, and crossed her arms.

"She's the one that talked me into forgiving you," Kagome said mildly. Inuyasha hesitated.

"Did I mention that I would worship the very ground she walks on and kiss her toes if she asked me, too?" Inuyasha mumbled. Kagome grinned, and started the ignition to her car.

"That's what I thought you'd say," she said smugly, and drove to the grocery store.

"You get the groceries, I'll get the condoms," Inuyasha said urgently, as if going on a secret mission. Kagome blushed and quickly looked around to see if there was anyone listening.

"Aw… Don't worry sweet heart. No one can hear us," Inuyasha said, wiggling his brows suggestively. Kagome shoved him away, grabbing a cart and quickly passing him while ignoring his laughter. She went to the fruits section, and grabbed what she thought she needed. She stayed away from the vegetables, except for cucumbers and carrots. She _loved _carrots, especially.

Inuyasha came back, discretely dropping a box of condoms into the cart. Kagome eyed the box, and gaped.

"A pack of seventy-two condoms?" Kagome asked, horrified. "I'm not superwoman!" Kagome cried out. Inuyasha started to laugh again, throwing his arm around Kagome.

"Oy, Kagome, don't worry about that." He nipped her ear, making her yelp and glare at him. He grinned, and kissed her. She melted into him, clutching his shirt. He pulled away, still grinning. Kagome sighed, giving in. She went to get a loaf of bread, and covered the box of condoms with it. Inuyasha laughed again.

"Kagome, other people do it, too," Inuyasha said amusedly.

"Well, we don't have to be so blatant about it," Kagome said, blushing. Inuyasha followed after as she walked briskly away.

"So, seeing as you planned all this out without my consent," Inuyasha said, "when am I going to meet the parents?"

"I was thinking this weekend. I called Myouga, talked it out with him. He said he could afford giving me two days," Kagome said.

"I see… Did you call my radio station, too? Request a day off for me?" Inuyasha asked, plucking a grape and popping it into his mouth.

"Inuyasha," Kagome hissed, "That's stealing!"

"No it's not," Inuyasha said patiently, plucking another grape and holding it into Kagome's lips. She refused to open her mouth, closing them tightly. Inuyasha shrugged, popped it into his own mouth again.

"That is _so _dirty. Do you know what kind of insecticides and other forms of-"

"Gosh, I didn't know you were such a tightass," Inuyasha said, frowning. Kagome didn't think she could stop glaring at him. Sighing, they went through the rest of the grocery store, picking out milk and eggs, yogurt, and popcorn, seeing as how she cleared out her supply of popcorn.

Inuyasha pointed out the school supply section, grinning. "Come here, Kagome." Kagome followed grudgingly, pushing the little cart ahead of her. "Look." Kagome looked, and looked puzzled as his finger directed her to a bottle of bubbles. "Do you know what idea this gives me?" Inuyasha asked, a heated stare lighting her up like a Christmas tree.

"Uh… No," Kagome said as he came back to her, and wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her to him.

"Makes me think of bubble baths… Scented water… You…" Inuyasha nuzzled the skin on the nape of her neck, making her feel weak. A child crying brought her back to the present, and she moved away from him, her face flushed.

"Inuyasha, we're in the middle of a grocery store!" Kagome hissed, quickly pushing the buggy to the front of the store where she stood in line.

"So I'll wait until we're home," Inuyasha said with a grin, nipping her ear again. He didn't seem to care that a disapproving old woman stood behind them, carrying a can of beans in one hand and a can of corn in the other. Kagome couldn't help but giggle as Inuyasha touched a ticklish spot. Inuyasha looked delighted at his newfound discovery, and she would have been fearful if his phone hadn't rung at that same moment.

Grumbling, Inuyasha rummaged in his pocket, retrieving the phone with a disgruntled look. He looked at the caller ID, flipped the phone open. "What?" he snapped into the phone.

"Uncle Inu, it's nice to hear from you, too," a voice snapped back. "I'm just calling to tell you that I'm going out. I didn't want you to worry if you stopped by the apartment for an overnight bag or something and I ended up not being here. So just calling to say, don't worry."

"Okay, Ayame," Inuyasha said, letting some affection seep into his voice. "Don't stay out too late. And how do _you _know that I'll need an overnight bag?"

"I'm not stupid Uncle Inu," was her response as she hung up the phone.

"Ayame?" Kagome asked when Inuyasha got off the phone.

"Of course. The only other person I know that has a smart mouth like that is you," Inuyasha said, smiling. Kagome glowered, but turned around to move up in the line. When they got to the cash register, an adolescent, bumbling boy with a non-clear face stumbled around when he saw Kagome. Kagome smiled indulgently at him, and he dropped the bread.

"S-Sorry," he stuttered, picking it up and swiping it through. He tried to not look at Kagome, but was failing horribly.

"I'll be right back," Inuyasha said, and he disappeared into the depths of the store. Kagome sighed, and smiled again at the boy. He nearly dropped the eggs, but deftly caught them.

Inuyasha came back, holding a bottle of wine. The people behind them, especially the grandmother with the beans and the corn, seemed to be annoyed when Inuyasha cut in front of them and put the bottle on the counter.

"I'll pay for this myself," Inuyasha said, and the boy looked at him as if just noticing him. He looked between Kagome and Inuyasha, sighed despairingly. Kagome felt sorry for him, but felt even guiltier as Inuyasha snuck his arm around her waist. The boy gave her a stricken look as if she had betrayed him in some way, and Kagome tried to not open her mouth and apologize. She couldn't help that he liked her, right?

He finished with Kagome's items, and seemed completely deflated as he rang up the condoms. He face had just fallen, giving him the look of a sheep that had already been slaughtered. Kagome was blushing, and quickly pushed her cart out of the way. Inuyasha paid for the wine, and watched as Kagome pushed the cart a far distance away, glancing back at him before going out of the store to put up the bags in her car.

"Beautiful, isn't she?" Inuyasha asked the pimply adolescent. Inuyasha peered at his name tag, and saw that his name was Kichiro. Kichiro sighed, stared longingly after Kagome. Inuyasha clapped him on the shoulder, grinned. "Don't worry about it. You'll find a girl like that, too."

"Doubt it," Kichiro said in a surly tone. Inuyasha only shrugged.

"She chose a hanyou like me. Gives you a chance, doesn't it?" Inuyasha asked mildly.

"She doesn't look like the type who would care about that," Kichiro said.

"Well, I care about things that are necessary for my survival," said the grandmother with the beans and the corn snapped, pushing her items into Kichiro's hands. "Move it sonny, before I _really _lose my patience!"

"Going, Grandma," Inuyasha said, taking his wine in the paper bag and going out the store. Kagome had already started the car, and had parked it in front of the exit so that Inuyasha could quickly get in.

"What took you?" Kagome asked, driving out of there. Inuyasha smiled.

"I was just having a conversation with Kichiro."

* * *

Ayame hurriedly put on an outfit she had bought when she arrived. She wore a shirt that only one strap going over one shoulder, and it tied at the top of the shoulder. It was sleeveless, and she put on a jacket over it. It _was _cold, after all. Then, she put on some jeans, since he had said to dress casually. She put on some foundation, eye liner, and some lip gloss. She grabbed Uncle Inu's keys, but guilt made her stop.

She still hadn't told him she had met a new guy!

Shrugging, she said aloud, "Oh well." Since Uncle Inu had left his car, she was going to use it. She knew that when Uncle Inu had called her this afternoon and told her that he probably wouldn't be coming home until tomorrow that he and Kagome had made up. Possibly several times.

Ew, gross. She did _not _want to think about her Uncle Inu like that. She hopped into his car, ran her fingers over the wheel, and grinned. She put the key into the ignition, turned it, and listened to the engine purr.

"Oh, I want a baby just like you," Ayame whispered, leaning her forehead against the wheel. Sharply, her cell phone rang. She grabbed for it, and picked up. "Hello?"

"Just reminding you to dress casually and to meet at…" There was some rustling noises as he tried to find the address again. He rattled it off to her, and she nodded.

"Yeah, I got it. I'll meet you there, Kouga." Ayame drove, looking at the map Uncle Inu always kept in his car. Biting on her lips, she arrived at the restaurant that she thought was it. She parked her car, and got out. She walked towards the restaurant and she was relieved to find Kouga standing outside, waiting for her.

"It's not a formal restaurant… Too much for a first date," Kouga said, grinning.

They went in, and a waiter sat them in a booth. It was a buffet.

"Oh, this is great," Ayame said, grabbing a plate and heaping it. Kouga only stared next to her as he got some of the pasta that seemed to be the majority of Ayame's plate. He couldn't really tell, since there were biscuits, brownies, and shrimp on top. "I'm starved!" She went back to the table, and he watched her amusedly. He got some corn, a biscuit, and a steak.

"Is that all you're eating?" Ayame asked, snorting. She quickly dug into her plate, bringing to her mouth a mixture of the food she had gotten, including the brownies. Kouga gave her a disgusted look and she laughed.

"I love to mix stuff and try it. I just had coffee and strawberry ice cream this morning," Ayame said. "My uncle was so disgusted."

"He's not the only one," Kouga said, wincing as she got another forkful of the stuff. "Who _is _your uncle anyway?"

"Like you would know if I just rattled off his name," Ayame said. "Just wait until you meet him. Then you'll know why I lose boyfriends as fast as daisies in a tornado."

"All right," Kouga said easily, not really intimidated. He wouldn't lose Ayame because of some psycho uncle. Besides, he had already lost Kagome to that stupid mutt-face. What was his name? Inu-whatsits. Oh, how he hated that stupid dog shit.

"So where do you work?" Ayame asked.

"Tetsusaiga Inc.," Kouga said lazily, forking up some pasta. Ayame looked at him in surprise.

"Then you must know Grandpa Myouga," Ayame blurted. Kouga paused in his chewing, looking at Ayame curiously.

"Yeah, although I don't call him 'Grandpa'. How do you know him?" Kouga asked.

"Through my uncle, although I doubt you met him there. He doesn't work there," Ayame said easily. "Oh, do you know Kagome?" Kouga stiffened, but then nodded.

"Yeah, I know her."

"Isn't she _such _a sweetheart?" Ayame bit into a brownie and went on to eat some of her gummy bears, too. "Grandpa Myouga favors her."

"I know," Kouga said, leaning back. Kouga felt like something was tickling the back of his mind, as if he was missing something. Something he should be putting together. It was like trying to find out where the last puzzle piece fit, but he had to continuously turn it for it to fit.

"Aren't you hungry?" Ayame asked, pointing to his plate.

"Huh? Oh, yeah," Kouga said, going back to his meal. Afterwards, they got dessert before deciding to go to a movie. Kouga was just as disgusted with what she ate in the theater as with what she ate in the restaurant.

"Oh, gross," Kouga said as she got a hot dog and popcorn with fruit punch. When they got inside, she poured the nacho cheese onto the hot dog, then the relish on the chips, and then the ketchup she dipped into. "Oh, I think I'm going to hurl," Kouga said as Ayame put a chip to her mouth with obvious satisfaction.

"Please. You haven't even tried it," Ayame said, incensed that he would judge without trying.

"If I did… No, I don't think I will," Kouga said, holding a hand up to his mouth. Suddenly, a relish covered, ketchup-dripping chip was held in front of his face. He pressed back into the seat, shaking his head.

"Eat it, and _then _tell me you're going to hurl. Otherwise, you're gonna lose yourself a potential girlfriend," Ayame said, taking a bit out of her hot dog with her other hand.

"Okay, okay," Kouga said, just as the movie started. He put the chip in his mouth with his eyes closed. He chewed, imagining his taste buds screaming, running, and dying.

Strangely, he felt a tingling and then numbness. They had screamed, ran, and died.

He hastily grabbed one of her napkins and spit out the food into it, gagging for a moment. Ayame was laughing next to him, paying no attention to the other people shushing her. He gave her an evil look, but the look turned to one of disgust as she popped another chip into her mouth. She took a big bite of her hot dog, chewing as if she was chewing on the best steak in the world.

"How can you choke that down?" Kouga asked, growing disgust at the pit of his stomach. Oh, he didn't think he could kiss her now. This lady was like a vacuum, sucking up anything with no regards to what was being sucked up.

"With some coke," Ayame said, sipping on her cup. Kouga sighed, sat back, and watched the movie. It was a horror film, and in his mind, he saw Ayame hanging off his arm, crying out in fear and asking to be guarded by a strong male- him.

It turned out that he was more frightened than Ayame.

When the movie ended, Ayame dumped her empty try into the bin, and her cup as well. "You scream like a girl," Ayame said with amusement as she hooked her arm through his.

"No I don't," Kouga snapped, trying to pull his arm from her grasp. Maybe he should break it off now. He didn't know if he could handle her. Ayame stopped by the counter, buying some gum and chewy candies. She took hold of his arm again, popping in some candy into her mouth.

"Not a _girl_, per say, but maybe a masculine gay guy," Ayame said. Kouga bristled. Ayame grinned up at him, saw the angry look on his face. She rolled her eyes. "I'm sorry I hurt your precious male ego." Kouga sighed. They went outside, and he didn't say a word. "Hey! I said I was sorry."

"Don't say it if you don't mean it," Kouga said mildly.

"Okay, then I won't," Ayame said unconcernedly. Kouga stopped, turned to her.

"I'm not sure _this _is going to work," Kouga said. Ayame stared up at him, and despite her careless words, she felt hurt. Just because she wasn't afraid to state her opinions and she ate slop that was fit for a hog didn't mean that she wasn't a normal girl.

"Okay," she said softly, and instantly turned to start walking down the road.

"Where are you going," Kouga snapped.

"The restaurant."

"I can give you a ride, you know," Kouga said. They had come in his car. She had to walk back to the restaurant, which wasn't really that far off.

"No thanks," she said. Kouga came up behind her, grabbed her arm and whirled her around.

"Fight back," Kouga growled.

"I don't want to," Ayame snarled back, tearing her arm out of his grasp. She snapped her jacket back into place, gave Kouga a dirty look.

"Well too bad," Kouga was suddenly kissing her, and he wonderingly tasted what she had to offer. She didn't taste like relish-covered chips at all. She tasted like the candy she had just eaten… Sweet and melted. He broke away with an intent look, and she looked at him blankly. Was she not affected?

"Wow," she said. Kouga felt a smile break his face and male pride surge. "I expected it to be better." Everything that he had known to be true and pure had gone down the sewer into poo.

"_What?_" He didn't give her a chance to reply as he grabbed her face and used all of his skill. When he pulled away, she looked a bit flushed, and he grinned.

"I'm so embarrassed to be seen with you. Excuse me," Ayame said, pushing past him. Kouga growled, pulled her back, and kissed her for what seemed like forever, until he even forgot why he had started kissing her in the place. He was frustrated and angry, but that all melted away until all he could think of was Ayame. She was the one to break away this time, and this time, _she _was the one to grin.

"Now _that's _what I'm talking about." She kissed him again, reveling in the fact that he had looked dazed and overpowered when she had pulled away.

Man, she was a pimp_ette_. She was _so _bragging to Kagome tomorrow.

* * *

Kagome dragged in a breath, her lungs heaving.

She was _so _bragging to Ayame tomorrow.

She curled up against a naked Inuyasha, placing her head on his shoulder. "I never knew I could do… _that_." Inuyasha placed a kiss on top of her head, gave her a grin.

"There's a lot of stuff you can do. I'll just teach you the tricks, okay?" Inuyasha said in a husky voice. Kagome laughed.

"If I live through them, sure," Kagome said. Inuyasha laughed, shifted to bring her closer to him.

"Now _that's _a valid point. I believe that's the first time I've ever nearly blacked out during sex," Inuyasha said amusedly. Kagome's muffled laughter came to him. He looked at the bedside table fondly, where some packs of condoms and the half-empty bottle of wine lay. They certainly had a fun time together. Still, they had yet to use the whole box…

Oh, he couldn't wait.

"Let's go to Mama's house this weekend. She won't mind, and Myouga won't either," Kagome said, blinking at him sleepily. He stroked a hand down her back, pressing a kiss to her temple.

"Okay," he said. Kagome moved back from him, blinking up at him in astonishment this time.

"Wow. Sex made you very malleable," she stated. Inuyasha grinned, rolled her onto her back.

"Wanna see how malleable I can get?" Inuyasha growled, leaning low and nipping her lip. Kagome smiled up at him, wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I'm willing and able!" Kagome piped.

* * *

The next day at work was uneventful, at least until three o' clock rolled along. Kouga was coming up to her, and she stiffened. Unexpectedly, he passed her without even a glance at her. She gave a relieved sigh and relaxed. Maybe he had found another girl. Kagome looked at her cell phone when it rang.

"Hello?" Kagome answered.

"Mwaha… I am all powerful," Ayame said. Kagome grinned.

"Me too," Kagome said in a sing-song voice. "Did you get that man you were talking about?"

"Oh man, did I! He's so cute! And here's the kicker: He's a wolf-demon, too! Oh, you should know him, Kagome." Kagome took a sip of her coffee. "Oh? Who?"

"His name's Kouga." If she hadn't swallowed her coffee, she would have spit it out on an innocent coworker and her computer.

"Are you… Are you serious?" Kagome asked in a tight, choked voice. Oh, Inuyasha was _not _going to be happy about this.

"Yep! Oh, I can't _wait _to tell Uncle Inu!" Kagome swallowed hard.

"Um… Maybe you shouldn't…"

"Why not?" Kagome took a deep breath.

"Kouga knows Inuyasha, and vice versa. Kouga used to hit on me a lot, and Inuyasha… kinda punched him the face." There was silence on the other line, and Kagome tugged on her shirt collar.

"You're kidding," Ayame finally said.

"I wish I was, kid."

Kagome saw someone that she didn't expect to see for a long time- Kagura. "Tell you what, Ayame. When I take him away for the weekend, _I'll _tell him, okay?"

"Oh, you're the best! I would _definitely _love you as my Aunt!" Kagome blushed, but quickly cut into Ayame's rambling.

"Well, I have to go now, 'cause I think I saw a rat. Bye!" She hung up quickly, and walked briskly towards Kagura, who was chatting with Kanna.

"What are you doing here?" Kagome asked stiffly.

"To see how business was doing, of course. We want a booming company, not one that's falling on its ass and desperate for money," Kagura said in a snide tone that indicated that _she _thought it was the latter.

Just as snidely, Kagome said, "You'll find we're more successful than you give us credit for. If you'll excuse me..."

"Ms. Kagome" Kanna said, coming up to her with a packet and a folder. "There's someone on the line for you. He said he was Naraku," Kanna said, her face expressionless. Kagome's lips became a tight line.

"I'll take the call in a few minutes," Kagome said, and Kanna only inclined her head and went back to her desk. Kagura stared after her assistant in a haughty manner.

"Doing so badly that you have to hire children?" Kagura asked.

"She's twenty-two, although she doesn't look it," Kagome snapped. She took a deep breath, gave Kagura a nasty look and a pretty smile. The combination said that she was ready to kill, or at least she hoped it did. "If you don't mind, I have a meeting with Myouga, and I think you should leave. How did you get in, anyway?"

"It's easy if you have enough money. _Everything's _easy if you have enough money." Kagura left with lingering laughter, exiting on the elevator.

"That lady sure gets my hackles up," Kagome growled.

"Mine, too," a fellow employee echoed. She was the one Kagome almost spit her coffe out on. Kagome smiled at her, and turned to Kanna.

"I'll take the phone call now," Kagome said. She went into her office, punched in a button and picked up the phone. "Tetsusaiga Inc., how may I help you?" Kagome asked in a all-too-sweet voice.

"Hello," Naraku's unmistakably smooth voice said. Kagome mentally grimaced at the sound of it.

"Who is this?" Kagome asked, again using the sweet voice.

"I do believe Kanna already told you," Naraku said. "Now, for the matter of you resisting this merger is completely preposterous. And as-"

"I do believe you have the wrong person for this discussion."

"Well, I _do _believe that Myouga-san told me to talk to you," Naraku said. Kagome bristled at his tone.

"All right. What would you like to discuss?" Kagome said.

"As I was saying, _bad _things might happen if you continue to resist," Naraku said in a dark tone.

"Well, I guess I don't really care," Kagome said, still just as sweet. Naraku was silent a moment.

"I really don't want to tell dear, old Inuyasha's secret, but… If it comes down to it, I might have to."

"Why are you bringing him into this?" Kagome hissed. "How do you know about him anyway?"

"Would you like me to tell you?" Naraku said, his tone obviously amused.

"Yes please," Kagome said tightly.

"With enough money, you can bribe _anyone_, Kagome dear. They name their price, you supply it," Naraku said easily.

"Who did you bribe?" Kagome asked.

"Now, you don't expect me to tell you _all _of my secrets now, do you? But as I was saying, I think you should stop your ridiculous resistance to the inevitable. Something bad might happen," Naraku repeated.

"Is that a threat?" Kagome asked, astonished that Naraku had the audacity to say it to her over the phone.

"I do believe it was," Naraku said with a laugh, and he hung up. Kagome gently hung up the phone, staring it at it for a few long moments.

Was he going to tell everyone Inuyasha's secret? Kagome blew her bangs out of her eyes in frustration.

His career, or hers? If his career made him happy, she would give up her own career hands down. Still, this was the only thing that his father had left him, and she liked this job as well. Not to mention that she _and _Inuyasha were dedicated to this company. So what was she to do?

Crap. This was _so _not good. Not good at all. She picked up the phone, dialed Inuyasha's cell phone number. It immediately went to voice mail, which meant that his phone was turned off. Kagome blew out a frustrated breath again as she hung up.

"Tell me what to do!" she yelled, bringing a fist down on her desk before lurching to her feet and pacing on the floor. She went over the conversation she just had with Naraku, raking her hands through her hair. Suddenly, she came to a realization.

_How did he know Kanna? _Then she thought, Kanna introduced herself when she answered the phone, _duh_, but the nagging feeling didn't take flight and leave. Kanna couldn't be… could she?

Kagome went back to her chair, collapsed into it. She pouted there for a while, brooding about Naraku.

"Did you speak with him?" Myouga asked from her desk.

"Where did you come from?" Kagome asked, jumping slightly when his voice reached her.

"From under the door." Myouga snorted.

"No privacy. No privacy at all," Kagome muttered. "At least get somebody to knock first."

"Right, like I would do that," Myouga snorted. Kagome shrugged.

"Yeah, I talked to him. I think he threatened me," Kagome said, her forehead wrinkled in deep thought.

"He _what?_" Myouga squeaked. "Do you think he's gonna come after me, too?" he blurted. Kagome stared at him for a second.

"Well, thanks for worrying about my own health and all," she said, astonished. Myouga winced.

"That's not what I meant. What I meant was-"

"Yes, yes, I know. He threatened to tell Inuyasha's identity, too," Kagome said. Myouga sighed.

"I still want to know how-"

"Money, Myouga. Money makes the world go around," Kagome said with a twirling motion of her finger. Myouga looked tired and haggard, nodding in agreement.

"Did he tell you who?"

"I don't think even _he's _that stupid," Kagome said. Myouga nodded again. "Well, just a _tad _smarter."

"Well, _I _thought he was always dumber than he looked, and more sinister than he looked," Myouga stated. He looked at Kagome. "You're going to your mother's with Inuyasha this weekend, right? That's what was on the sticky note you sent me."

"Yeah. You don't mind, do you? It's only a couple of hours away, and you can always call if there's something wrong," Kagome said. "It's just… I might be pregnant, and I want Inuyasha to meet the family before we get married, you know?"

Myouga stared at Kagome, then started to laugh. "I know you slept with each other, but that's just funny! Inuyasha would never…" Myouga trailed off as he looked at Kagome's face. "You're not joking, are you?"

"Nope."

"Oh. Well, then… Go ahead, I suppose. I'll call you if something comes up," Myouga said. Kagome smiled brilliantly.

"Great!"

"But before you go, you need to finish these…"

* * *

The weekend came along, and Kagome was practically jumping up and down in her seat as Inuyasha drove.

"Would you settle _down!_" Inuyasha snapped, turning into the street she indicated.

"Oh, I haven't seen everyone in _forever!_" Kagome cried out in glee. "I can't _wait_! You'll like Mama. Everyone loves Mama. Grandpa's a little eccentric, but he'll grow on you, too. And Souta's a little booger, but I'm not sure if you'll like him or not. He's my little brother, so please try to be tolerant. Oh, and then there's-"

"I'll meet them when we get there," Inuyasha said, trying to hold onto his patience. Kagome leaned over, kissed him on the cheek, and grinned.

"You're such a sweetheart. Meeting my folks, and all," Kagome said. Inuyasha smiled back at her.

"I try my best. Here?" he asked, indicating the shrine at the top of the dizzying amount of stairs.

"Yes" They pulled up front, and Kagome practically ran up the stairs. Inuyasha followed, thinking that the mystery of Kagome's skinniness was solved. If _he _had to run up and down these stairs everyday, he would no doubt have been the strongest little boy in class. Kagome grabbed his hand, urging him to hurry.

When they reached the top, Kagome had to catch her breath. "Wow, I haven't done that in a while."

"I wish I didn't have to do it at all," Inuyasha said, rubbing the stitch in his side. He was going to have to start working out again. He was a hanyou for goodness sakes!

"Kagome!" Suddenly, there was a teenage boy stuck on Kagome's side.

"Souta! You grew so much!" Inuyasha blinked as the boy looked up at him.

"Who's this guy?" Souta asked, looking Inuyasha up and down in a manner that had Inuyasha's hackles rising.

"My… uh… boyfriend," Kagome said hesitantly. Souta's eyes lit up, and he sniggered.

"You finally snagged yourself a guy!" Souta laughed. Kagome growled, swiping at the boy who ran away.

"Kagome! Oh, I _thought_ I heard your voice out here," Kagome's mother came out and stopped short as she saw Inuyasha. Inuyasha became tense, and found himself worrying about Kagome's mother's opinion. A wide smile broke out onto her face to Inuyasha's confusion. "Don't look so scared, Inuyasha. Please, come in."

"Uh… yes, ma'am…" Inuyasha gave Kagome a helpless look, and she only shrugged. He followed after Mrs. Higurashi, going into the dining room where it was obvious that Mrs. Higurashi had been preparing for Kagome's arrival.

"Kagome, dear, please come help me with this," Kagome's mother called from the kitchen.

"Yes, Mama," Kagome went, and Inuyasha was left with a shifty Souta. They sat down at the table.

"What's your name? What do you do? Are you two gonna marry? Are you two going to have kids? When-"

"Let me answer the first round of questions first," Inuyasha said wryly. "Um… Inuyasha, but you already know that; I'm a radio DJ, I'll explain later; we _better _get married; and we _better _have children."

"A radio DJ? What station?" Souta asked, genuinely interested now.

"102.5 FM."

"Oh, _WOW!_" Souta yelled. "I'm practically a celebrity's _brother-in-law!_"

"Keep it _down!_" Inuyasha hissed. Souta looked confused.

"Why? I _have _to tell my friends about-"

"No you don't, and you won't," Inuyasha snapped. "It's a secret! Only you, Kagome, and my coworkers know, okay? If you open your big trap…"

"Okay, okay, I get it," Souta said, although he looked none too happy about it. "… So I'm guessing you're Hanyou?"

"Damn straight."

"Inuyasha!" Kagome hit him over the head. She had come into the room right when he cursed. "If you talk like that around children…"

"No! Sorry. It just slipped out," Inuyasha said, rubbing the back of his head. Mrs. Higurashi came into the dining room with an armful of bowls and utensils. Inuyasha leaped up to help her. She smiled at him.

"Thank you. Wow, you're more helpful than my own daughter," Mrs. Higurashi said loudly. Kagome sighed, moved towards the kitchen.

"I'm going, I'm going…" she grumbled. Mrs. Higurashi sat down, and it wasn't until Kagome came back with a few more bowls that she started to eat. The rest followed her example.

Suddenly, there was a loud crash and a meow outside with a loud, "You dumb cat!"

"Grandpa!" Kagome cried out, on her feet and pushing open the door to hug her grandfather.

"I thought I heard a delinquent here," her grandfather said affectionately. He looked at Inuyasha, and stiffened. "Who is _that?_" Grandfather asked. He pointed to Inuyasha with obvious dislike. Inuyasha continued to eat, not noticing the stare directed towards his head. Kagome grinned, not affected by her grandfather's dislike. Either he would accept Inuyasha, or wouldn't.

"He's my boyfriend. We're planning on getting married. I might even be pregnant," Kagome said cheerfully. She led her shocked grandfather to a seat next to her mother, and sat him down. Still stunned, he gaped at Kagome as she sat down next to Inuyasha. Kagome nudged Inuyasha, snickering. "Look at him. I told him I might be pregnant and-"

"You _what?_" Inuyasha hissed in horror. "Well no wonder he's still in shock! Kagome! You're not supposed to tell him that! He'll think I raped you, or something else!" he whispered. Kagome frowned.

"Well, I guess me sitting next to you, bringing you into my mother's home, which is a _shrine _by the way, _would _mean you raped me," Kagome whispered with a roll of her eyes.

"Kagome! I'm serious! He'll think I'm-"

"You despicable demon!" Kagome's grandfather finally cried out.

"Grandpa!" Mrs. Higurashi said in shock, putting her bowl of rice and her chopsticks down.

"He… He… dirtied my granddaughter!" Kagome could hear Inuyasha sigh beside her. Kagome could feel her face growing red. She told her grandfather so that he could be _happy _for her! Not call the love of her life "despicable"!

"Grandpa, that's enough," Kagome said, cutting into his rambling. "Mama, I might be pregnant… That's why Grandpa's being a butthead." Inuyasha slapped himself on the forehead. He didn't Mrs. Higurashi to know yet either! What had _happened _here?

To his shock, Mrs. Higurashi said, "Oh! I'm so delighted for you! Pipe down, Grandpa! This is a cause for celebration!" Mrs. Higurashi hurried into the kitchen, and came back with small cups and a bottle of saké. "Are you two getting married then?" Mrs. Higurashi asked, pouring a cup for Inuyasha. "I suppose you are, since you're the first man that Kagome's ever brought. I'm so happy for the two of you," She slapped at Kagome's hand when it reached for a cup. "You might be pregnant; I don't think so."

"Yes, Mama, we're getting married… At least we better…" Kagome said with a sigh for the lost saké, and gave Inuyasha a look. Inuyasha stood, tugging on Kagome's hand.

"Would you excuse us, please?"

"Yes, of course," Mrs. Higurashi said, startled. Inuyasha ignored Kagome's protests, practically dragging her out back to the car. He drove to a grocery store in silence, and she looked at him, puzzled.

"What's going on here?" she asked again.

"We're going to see if you're pregnant or not," Inuyasha snapped.

"But I was hungry!" Kagome cried out. Inuyasha only sighed and got out of the car. He helped her out, and they went into the store. He went to the pharmacy question, and to Kagome's embarrassment, asked the man at the counter where the pregnancy kits were. The man came out of his little booth, got one for them.

"This one's pretty good. Most people use this one more than anything else." Inuyasha took it.

"Thanks. Do we pay for it here or there?"

"There. Thank you, come again," the man said after them. Kagome gripped Inuyasha's arm, trying to keep up with him as he power strode towards the front cash registers. They swiped it through, Inuyasha quickly paid for it, and again dragged her to the car.

"You know, I just _love _how you roughly handle me," Kagome said, sarcasm dripping from her voice. "What's with all this urgency all of a sudden?"

"I want to know, you want to know, and I told you; I'm going to marry you as soon as possible if you are," Inuyasha said. "Plus, I didn't like how your grandfather looked at me. It's been a while since I've been looked at like the scum on the bottom of someone's shoe, and I found that I didn't like it one bit."

"Oh, Inuyasha, you could have told me! I would have chastised him for-"

"That's not it, Kagome. I _really _want to know. If we're going to have a child together… Kagome, I love you, and I'll love the child, of course, but if it's already forming inside you… I _need _to know." He shrugged in a helpless manner as if he couldn't really explain it himself. She found it endearing.

"Okay, okay… Grandpa should be satisfied, too."

"That's what I'm hoping for."

When they got back to the shrine, Inuyasha let Kagome eat her now-cold meal, despite his impatience. When she was done, he tugged her towards the bathroom.

"Why are you taking me to the little girl's room?"

"Technically, it's not the little girl's room, since all of your family… Ah, geez. You're gonna get me off the subject. You gotta pee on the stick, Kagome." Kagome looked aghast.

"I have to _what?_" Inuyasha turned to her.

"You've never heard about how a pregnancy test is done?" Inuyasha asked in astonishment. Kagome blushed.

"No! I am _not _peeing on a stick that we have to read off of," she shouted.

"You _have _to! Otherwise, we'll never know until you start getting… bigger," Inuyasha yelled back. Kagome huffed and puffed, but Inuyasha pushed her towards the bathroom, shoving the kit at her. "Read the instructions. I'm not helping you with this."

"Good, 'cause I don't want you to," Kagome retorted, going into the bathroom and slamming it.

"Wait! Kagome! Come out!" Inuyasha pounded on the door until Kagome opened the door again.

"What do you want?" Kagome shouted. "Can't I pee in peace?"

"God dammit woman, I'm trying to propose to you _now_, so that we'll get married no matter what the result!" Kagome fell silent.

"Oh," was all she said.

"Oh?" Inuyasha repeated.

"Did you get a ring for me?" Kagome asked. Inuyasha snorted, reaching into his pocket.

"Just this week. You would have skinned me alive if I didn't." He pulled out a dark purple velvet box, and she watched in awe as held it out to her.

"You're supposed to open it," she said breathlessly. "If I take it from your hand right now, I'm going to drop it. My hands are shaking too bad." Inuyasha snorted again, and opened it. Kagome caught her breath. It was a gold band with diamonds, but in the center there were four rows of amber stones. "You were supposed to get down on one knee." Inuyasha rolled his eyes, and ignored her statement.

"I didn't want to get a normal diamond ring. Besides, it matches my eyes," Inuyasha said, batting his eyelashes. The action was so unlike him that she doubled over in laughter. He grinned, hauled her up against him. "So will you?"

"What would you do if I said no?" Kagome asked, kissing him.

"Then I figured I'd find some other-" he flinched when she pinched him hard. "Just kidding! Just kidding! I would lock you up until you said what I wanted to hear, of course."

"That's the most romantic thing I've heard from you," Kagome said, kissing him again. He slipped the ring onto her finger, and she watched as it glinted.

"It even tops, 'I love you'?" he asked. She thought about it.

"Well, the second most romantic. Now, let me go. Yes, I'll marry you, but peeing on the stick is more important right now," Kagome said. Inuyasha grinned, kissed her deeply until she was breathless, and pushed her back in.

"The stick doesn't really matter anymore. If it comes out negative, I'm gonna try my damned hardest to make it positive," Inuyasha said gleefully. Kagome rolled her eyes.

She closed the door, thumbing the ring on her finger. She read the instructions, did as was told, and came out. Inuyasha looked pensive.

"What do you think is the verdict?" Inuyasha asked. Kagome shrugged.

"We have to wait ten to twenty minutes."

"Okay… Let's sit down." Inuyasha sat down right where he was standing, in the middle of the hallway. Kagome sat in his lap, her face buried into his neck. She wanted it to be positive. She wanted a little bundle of cells inside her badly.

"What are you two doing?" Mrs. Higurashi asked, walking by.

"Waiting to see if Kagome's pregnant or not," Inuyasha said.

"Oh, okay," Mrs. Higurashi said as she continued to walk by, as if it was normal in this household. Mrs. Higurashi stopped, turned around. "Congratulations," she said, smiling as she saw the ring on Kagome's finger.

"Thanks Mama," Kagome mumbled into Inuyasha's neck. Mrs. Higurashi only smiled again, and continued on her way.

Five minutes of waiting, and Kagome didn't know if she could take the tension. "I'm gonna go for a walk," she declared, trying to get out of Inuyasha's lap. He pulled her back.

"It's cold outside. Let me go with you," he said, just as tense.

"No! Stay. Please," Kagome pleaded, turning to face him. "I need you to tell me when I come back what the result is. I don't think I can look at it," she said, her eyes tearing.

"I'm telling you Kagome, if it's negative-"

"I just… I want this so badly," Kagome said. "I didn't even know how much until I came out of there."Inuyasha sighed.

"I know. Me too. But if it _is _negative, we'll _make _it positive. Go for your walk. I'll tell you when you come back." Kagome nodded, smiled and kissed him on the cheek. She went to her room, got a thick jacket, and proceeded outside.

It _was _chilly, but she went down the stairs. The crisp air was doing her some good, and she felt much better already. She walked around the block, her face upturned toward the sky. She flung out her arms, taking in the crisp air. She had to go back. She would look _with _Inuyasha to see if she was pregnant or not. It was selfish of her, to shirk the duty of finding out to him. Well, she would fix that.

She walked quickly towards the shrine, the smile on her face growing until she thought she looked grotesque and unnatural.

Out of nowhere, a hand covered her mouth just before she reached the stairs. There was an acrid scent, and even before she could call out for Inuyasha, she was going down into the darkness.

* * *

Inuyasha looked at the clock. Nearly twenty minutes had passed, but he wanted to wait for Kagome. He rolled his shoulders, stood up. He braced himself. He walked into the bathroom with his eyes closed. He opened them, but looked at the wall instead of the counter. Why was this so _hard_?

"Dammit, Kagome! Where are you?" He whispered. He sighed, and his eyes finally landed on the white stick. He thought he was going to pass out from the tension. He suddenly got a shiver down his spine, but didn't think anything of it.

There were two red lines on the stick.

Kagome was pregnant.

* * *

**wk**: Wahahaha! I ended with a cliffhanger! Finally. This story needed one. Not that you all would agree... (Laughs uneasily) Anyways, I'm just gonna skip everything I was gonna say so I can go straight to the review of reviews... I have a LOT to go over this time. (Grins) Not that I'm sad about that or anything... (Grins again)

Oh yeah... I'm going to explain the title of the chapter. Ayame is "taken" with Kouga, but in the end, Kagome is literally taken by somebody that we don't know. (Grins) Oh, and the ring that Inuyasha proposed with? Look down...

**Website to see the ring I had in mind for Kagome:** **http:www.bradfordjewellery.ca/rings/wedding/thumbnails/yp1375t.jpg**

Oh, and right before I start the RoR, I figured I should do a "shout-out" of sorts... It was two of my reviewers' birthday! I figured I'd write this up here _while _I was writing the reviews. Meh. Anyways, **_Happy Birthday, Nef Canuck and Mizz Moo_**!

**_ReViEw oF rEvIeWs_**:

Oh my goodness... What are you _doing _with no sleep for _two days_, **Drake Clawfang**? How crazy. I don't think I would be alive after _one _day of no sleeping. Thanks much, Drake! Your suggestions keep me going.

I made Kagome pregnant, **Crimson Kitten**! Whee! And yeah, he did, but he did it again in this chapter _with _a ring to make it more clear. Crystal clear, to be exact. (Grins) Sorry it took me so long to update!

It's all right, **Ryuu no Taiyo**! Hehe... Am _I _the evil worm of doom? And TRY to send your little brother after me! We will pitt little sibling against little sibling! My little sister will bite the hell out of your little brother...! Haha, just kidding! Thanks for your review! And I _always _have a sugar high.

Hehe, I know, **inuhoshi**. Reading in a corner sounds like fun... Especially with the right junk food and couch. Wow. You sure are a reader! I never liked reading in elementary school, but when I got to middle school... Hot damn! I was pouring over them books. Yeah, I used to read The Ad... Too bad it got deleted. Hope it doesn't happen to me...! Man, I feel sorry for the author. Thanks for your review!

I'll try, **inulova4lyfe**!

Hee hee... shivers is always a good thing, **drake220**. Yep, they finally got around to it, with no pretenses, which is the way it should be. And yeah... I fixed the chronological mistake in my last chapter...! Thanks so much for pointing it out! I would never have known otherwise! (Hangs head in shame) Thanks so much for your review!

Hehe... Oops? Yeah, I kept on consciously thinking, "Don't put Miroku, don't put Miroku, don't put Miroku!" But in the end, I guess I did. (Sighs) I think I fixed it though, **LadyiNsOmNiAc**. Glad you think that this fanfic is one of the best! (Grins)

Oh, I love how you put it, **Gittelbug**! Total awesomeness! And we'll see about Hanyou's identity. (Smiles mysteriously)

I'm glad I could make your day, **firetrixs**! It's more like a slow fic _month_... I've been waiting for fics to come out with new chapters almost everyday admist my own writing. (Sighs) Woe is me.

Whoo! Go me! I'm an authoress, by the way, **sapphirepink**. Just for future references. Haha! Glad you liked the chapter!

You know, **silentslayer**, it is astonishing how people don't get that it's Kanna. Of course, I try to downplay Kanna's role as much as possible, just for the effect that _that _has. And actually, I don't _plan _any of this story. I just kind of write whenever an idea strikes. And the good thing about this story is that, well, like you said, it has so many directions that it can go that ideas just pop up like mad. Hee hee. Glad you like the story so much! Thanks for your review!

Hehe! Glad you're the happiest person in the world, **Fushigi Aoi Tenshi**! Technically, Miroku and Sango proposed to each other. But who likes technicalities? (Grins) Thanks for reading!

Hehe... I try to have just the right amount of fluff for my readers, **InuKag Fan**! (Grins) For instance, I don't put so much fluff that the readers feel like vomiting, and I don't put too little fluff that the readers think that Kagome and Inuyasha are strangers to each other. Hope you like it!

Hehe... I tried to downplay the whole sex part, **xSilverShadowsx**. I realized that I have underage readers and other readers that just don't want to read stuff like that. And the question of "how soon" they get married will be soon answered...!

Now the iffy proposal is a definite, too, **Wake-Robin**! And yes, I'm trying to think of a way I could make a sequel of this story... I think I have an idea, but it might be boring compared to this story. Hm... We'll see.

Thanks, **Tenshi Koneko**! Yeah, I figured he wasn't stuck to a tree for fifty years in this fic, so he would have a nicer disposition. Hope I didn't overdo it in this chapter. Sorry it took me so long to update!

Whoo! I got billions! (Grins) That's so AWESOME! I'm glad Mew loves the story so much! Hehe, hope you read some more, **kagome1**!

I'm trying to keep the suspense going, **Touya**! (Grins) And although the other chapters didn't have cliffhangers, or not that I think, I'm glad it was still pretty suspenseful. Now _this _chapter, I ended with a cliffhanger. I figured that I should be a mean authoress for at least one chapter. I've gone to the dark side... But only temporarily!

Hehe, well, I _personally _don't use "digging", but it works all the same. (Smiles) And that Romeo guy on 94.1 sounds like such an ass. I hope he gets hit full in the face by a pretty woman that he falls for. And the kind of woman he wants just doesn't exist anymore! We have a mind of our own, too! Although, it _is _true that men just can't handle the world without us women... HAHA, just kidding. Glad you like the story so much, **xXlovablekdXx**! Sorry I updated so late!

Whee! I'm glad it was your favorite chapter, **Starrchick101**! And yes... cookies are good, but deadly. They're like fat spies... They get inside and infiltrate. And yeah, I marked it off just for that reason. Some people just don't want to read stuff like that. Which is why I'm trying to make things a little less detailed now.

To answer your question, yes, they were all men. Kagome's really the only business leader that's female. I don't know why I made it that way, but I figured Kagome could infiltrate the "men's world". She seems to have the knack for it anyhow. And I _think _you _have _told me you loved this story, but don't let that stop you. (Grins) You can say it however many times you want, **AngelOfDiamonds**.

Well, one thing finally went wrong with Kagome's life. She got kidnapped. Whoo! (Gets slapped in the face) Ow. Okay. Nevermind. I'm gonna get a lotta evil hate mail for this, aren't I? (Sulks and pouts) Will _you _still love my story, **Mini Nicka**?

This reminds me of Goldilocks. Was Kagome's reaction too bad? Well, no, but the it was _just right_! Haha, I don't know where that came from. Sorry. And I _should _have shown Miroku's proposal to Sango, but I don't know... I got lazy? (Gets slapped over the head) Mama taught me better than that... (Sighs) I reviewed your story, **Valese**! Did you see it? Didja didja didja! Sorry. Sugar high.

Mwaha! I've squandered your idea of this fic finally being done! Normally it _would _have ended there, but there's the nasty business of Naraku still lingering over the fic. And I need to think about the double wedding thing... (Plots evilly in her corner) Excuse me, **flip-x-fantasy** while I brainstorm...

Aw, thanks, **Orlando's Girl**! It's a good thing I'll be spared because I'm not done with the story yet! And damn, how evil! That cake and those sugar cubes will go straight to my thighs! Haha, just kidding! Keep it coming, kid! I need that sugar!

Thanks, **Aryante**! At first, I was stumped on how he was going to come out with it, but it came to me... he just doesn't care what other people think of him, so why not just come out and blurt it right out? _And _announce it to the world? It seemed like a good plan.

Hee hee... I'm so glad **Saiyou the Lover **is so happy right now! Hopefully, you won't be too sad after this chapter... No hate mail, please! (Winces) Hope you still like the story!

Ohhhh... I see now. Hehe, glad you loved the chapter so much, **sleep walking chicken and HAP**. Regarding the slimy Naraku... Well, I'm sure you've figured it out with the end of this chapter. So, what will happen now? She's pregnant, kidnapped, and Inuyasha's waiting back at home to give her the good news. And yes, Kanna has much to do with this. I'll explain in later chapters, of course. I'm planning on one or two more chapters, so this story is coming to an end, I'm afraid... (Sighs) It was a long and pleasant journey... Well, I'll say all my thank you's when it's over. Hope you didn't wait too long for this chapter!

Thanks **Lauren**! Glad you liked my story so much!

Looking forward to your next review, **shaid**!

I had to take "Neighborly Love" off, because I am _seriously _dissatisfied with that story. I _will _be rewriting it and putting it back up, of course, so never fear! Sorry about the delay, **animefreak-superfreak**.

I haven't experienced writer's block for this story so far, **sam**! Which, of course, I am immensely happy for. And I'm going to have to download the song from Madonna, because the only songs I know from her is "Like a Virgin" and... what was that other song? About getting a party started? Or was that Pink? Oi vey.

(Sighs) Yes, I meant Myouga. Gosh! My stupid fingers. Typing stupid things like that. Don't worry. I'll punish them for you. Thanks for pointing it out for me, **ChibiKenshin6490**!

Hehe, I always love your reviews, **Esther Tan**! Hm... To answer your questions: Yes, Kanna's the spy, yes, Kagome's pregnant (Although I'm pretty sure that you know that by now), and Naraku's going to get what's coming to him soon enough, _AND_, Sesshoumaru will make his appearance as well... All in due time. And the secret agent idea is a good one, and I would have used it had I not already had an idea for Sesshoumaru... (Grimaces) Sorry! I hope you'll like it all the same...!

Well, hopefully, you didn't _die _yet. I'll try to keep _that _hope alive. I made the chapter extra long though! Does that make up for it being out kinda late? Also, I wrote _two_ chapters for my new story, "The Dogs, Spiders, and Wolves". So that's a good excuse, right **gothic inuyasha**?

Thanks for loving the story, **Miyumi-Chan**! Glad you liked it so much!

No problem, **Crystal Aquarius**! I've realized that a lot of people that read this are either underaged or just don't want to read something like that. So, I put the warning there. Glad you still like the story, and hope you continue to stick with it until the very end!

Haha, that's okay! Just the fact that you reviewed when you had nothing to say demonstrates your dedication to this fic! I'm lovin' it, **Corner Girl**! Thanks so much for sticking to this fic!

It loves you too, **Vengeance4love23**!

Thanks, **Duet Masaki**! I'll try to keep it up, and I will, thanks to all the wonderful reviews I received!

Yay! Thanks so much, **Keiko89**! Sorry I updated so late. I made the chapter extra long though... That's good, right? Right?

Please... You have nothing to be envious of, **Kimiki**! (Blushes) I'm glad you clicked the link and began to read, too!

HAPPY LATE BIRTHDAY, **NefCanuck**!(I have a shout-out to you above the RoR, just in case you didn't see)I'm so glad it was your birthday present! Hope you had a good "me-day" (that's what I call birthdays), and I hope you liked this chapter, too! Oh, and Miroku was upset because he can't handle some listeners. Usually, he's the peacemaker, but... Well, I thought it was funny to say that he cursed. That's all. (Grins)

Kagome spared Kanna a second glance in this chapter, but then she thought "better" of it. It's not Kanna's time to reveal herself... yet... Mwahahaha! Oh, and the whole forgetting the protection thing... Inuyasha's been waiting for an awful long amount of time without any sex, and the opportune moment came along... and... and... forgotten! I always thought strawberry ice cream and coffee was great, but my friends just make a face at me whenever I eat it. Strange, don't you think, **Mizz Moo**? Was it your birthday, too? HAPPY LATE BIRTHDAY! (I have a shout-out to you above the RoR, just in case you didn't see)

Thanks so much, **Green Glitter Haruko**! Seriously one of the most heartfelt reviews I've read in a while. (Eyes tear) I'm glad I have such a positive response from you and the rest. Hope you continue to read!

Oh, I must explain, **LukeShaehl**. I agree, the kiss scenes were more detailed, but here's the thing: I got to actually interact with my reviewers, and I realized that some people just didn't want to read the lemony or limey stuff, and there were _TONS _of underage readers. But I do agree with your point that I should have prolonged it a bit. The way I did it seemed too impatient, ne? Well, when I look over and edit this story, I will definitely try to fix that. Thanks so much for your review!

Haha! I _cracked up_ when I saw your review, **FFStoryteller**! I'm so happy that you're so satisfied with my story! It givesme an ego boost and a sense of pride in this story. Love the basket of cookies, by the way. Although my mommy says not to eat them because of the additional weight to my thighs and butt. (Sighs) I'll eat them anyway... in secret. Hehe, thanks!

Oh my goodness, don't even _think _about apologizing. If anyone's to understand school and exams, it is I, whoknoez! Haha, I used to do that, too! I used to do it in extra small font, so I could _just _read it and it wouldn't take 50 pages to read it. I'm so glad you love the story _that _much, **Mizo Sakura**! Obsession is a good thing, in this case. And I had Inuyasha propose in this chapter. I figured I would do it soon after, not like, a month after or something. It makes it a little _too _long, don't you agree? HAHA, I would never want my guy professing his love to me like that, but I figured it was just right for Inuyasha. Thanks again, and I'll look forward to your next review!

Thanks, **HellKeeper**! Kinda makes me proud, this story does. (Grins)

I never thought I was a good writer either, until I wrote this story. I just _still _can't believe the response to this story! I love it. I love it a lot. Haha! And I'm so honored that the first time you reviewed for something it was for my story, **smyte**! As for the dialogues... Would you believe me if I said I think them all up by myself? 'Cause I really do. (Head bursts from ego) Anyways, thanks so much for reading and liking my story!

Oh man, if I only knew we could wear PJs to gym class! I would have worn them everyday! PJs are so comfortable. Thanks for reviewing, **Nyehaan**! I'll look forward to your next review!

Hehe, glad you like, **Sunrider22**! Yeah, it sure does feel like it's been going by really fast. And I try to make this story as different as possible, compared to the other stories. That's the whole theme of this story: How different can I make it? Hehe. I try my best! I'm blushign from all the compliments... Red as a tomato, I tell ya... And trust me... That was as sincere as you can get! Sorry I updated so late!

Thanks so much, **RAMENxMAKER**! Thank your friend for me, for making you read my story. What a good friend you have. (Grins)

Thanks, **skitzoid**! Most people thought it should have been more descriptive or vice versa. I figured I'd stick with the middle. Glad you think I'm so talented. (Smiles) Hope you didn't wait too long for this update!

Hehe, glad I cleared things up for you! I'm also glad you liked the chapter! Thanks for reading, **blckaginu48**!

Yep! They did the "dirty"! Got down and everything. I should equate mud into this somehow... What do you think, **MM**?

Nightmares are _very _stupid. I'm glad you're having progress with them, though. And tell your good guy friend (if you don't want to go out with him) that you just came out of a relationship and he's expecting too much. If you _do _want to go out with him... Well, jump his bones! Whatever makes you happy. And yes, I still _do _go to school. I'm a college girl, in fact. Whoo hoo! ...Not. And I thought up an evil cliffhanger. Mwahahaha! Hope you liked it. Thanks for believing in me, **Daddy's Pixie**! And of course I would appreciate your opinion! It's opinions that keep me spurred! I had more of Kagome's mother in this chapter, and I'll try to have some more of her in the next chapter. Thanks so much for your encouragement.

Thanks**babygirl20008**, for your encouragement!

I'm glad you liked it so much, **WiCKeD ScHmoNesS**! I _LOVED _your analogy for Inuyasha's declaration! Haha, keep it up! Waiting for your next review!

Oh my goodness! I'm so sorry, **Midoriko-sama**! I did not mean for it to sound condescending or anything of the like! I understood what you were saying! Oh my goodness... How embarrassing... I'm very VERY happy you enjoy my story so much, and don't worry about any misunderstandings! You didn't sound all wrong at all. HAHA, I laughed so hard when I read your image of Myouga signing a paper. I suppose that _is _how he signs papers.

Don't worry, **binkytingson**! Favoritest is a word in _my _book. (Grins)

Haha, glad you liked my story so much, **inuyashas-dark-angel**! Looking forward to your next review!

I think _you're _totally wild! Haha, I've always wanted to say that. Hopefully,Naraku's plan _won't _work... Oops! Too late. He kidnapped Kagome. (Insert evil authoress laughter here)Looking forward to your next review, **TriGemini**!

Don't die, **Mariposa-6482**! It's too much for my conscience and I won't be able to write anymore!

Glad you liked it so much, **MoonlightHanyou**! Yeah... The story is basically declining now. I just have to get it concluded, and maybe think about a sequel.

Thanks so much, **KharmaSmack**! Constructive criticism helps me so much. I think I might have meant her cell phone when she answered the phone...I'm not too sure... I'll have tolook over itagain. Otherwise, I apologize. _And_I changed the price to five billion. It might still be too small, but... Oh well. I'll edit it _again _if it's too small.And actually, I had the drug conversation already with another one of my reviewers. (Smacks self on forehead) What's wrong with me? Not knowing about weed and all... Gosh, stupid me. (Grins)

Sorry it took me so long, **Kat**! Hope you're still there!

I'm so glad this story is making you like the show, too, **SaiyanPassion**! It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside... or that _could _be my school lunch. Anyways, thanks so much!

Hehe, it just got even more tense, **Wolf Blossom**! Hope you still like it! I hope you didn't wait too long for this update!

Truthfully, I've ceased to amaze a lot of people. (Sighs) It's my sad, pathetic existence, really... Haha, just kidding! Everyone loooveesss me! (Everyone flees) Well darn. And since you don't know if it _is _Kanna, or if it _isn't _Kanna... I won't ruin it for you. You'll find out soon enough, **SadPoetGoth**! Hope I didn't update too late!

Thanks, **MG8**! (The symbolwouldn't show up!) Hope I didn't update too late for you!

I'm not too sure about _forever_, but I _do _appreciate your compliments, **Laura-chan**!And I _do _believe I e-mailed you about "Neighborly Love"... Gotta redo it! Hope you continue to read 102.5 FM!

Hope you didn't go nuts yet, **InuyashaMaster**! And yes, I made Kagome pregnant. I figured I can go a _little _cliche. Sorry that I didn't use too much detail in my citrusy scene... I just realized there were underage readers and people that just didn't care for limes or lemons, so I thought I would downplay it a bit. And Shippo _will _appear again! He's taken in by the other family, who's now reluctant to let him go... Sorry I didn't explain better. They don't want him, but for now, they're happy with him. Does that make sense? And WHOO boy, was _I _like that when I was his age! I was even whinier and brattier! I was such a spoiled kid. But, I've changed for the better now! Yay! (Grins) Hope you didn't wait too long for this update!

HAHA, I cracked up so hard when I saw your review, **apzoloot**! Did I mention that I like how you spell your username? And your thanks was very well taken. (Grins) Hope you liked this update, too!

* * *

**wk**: WhoOO! That was LONG. And hard. I never knew I would get so many reviews when I started this story! I'm absolutely speechless. Like always, I did a review count, and I got... **76 reviews**! Oh my goodness! I'm going to faint! Thanks so much guys! You have no idea how ecstatic that makes me. You guys make my day come ALIVE!

Oh, and if you didn't see above the **_ReViEw oF rEvIeWs_**...

Kagome's ring: **http:www.bradfordjewellery.ca/rings/wedding/thumbnails/yp1375t.jpg**

Thanks again guys! Enjoy your week!


	15. First Attempt

**Disclaimer**: Not MINE.

**wk: **WHOO. Finally got this chapter done. It's not as long as I would have liked it to be, and I originally had a different ending to this chapter before I changed it... You see, this chapter was going to be my last chapter, but then I thought that was just anticlimatic. So, I changed it. And I thought of new stuff for the next chapter, which I believe WILL be the ending.

I'm VERY sorry for the **_LONG _**wait that you all had to endure, but I hope this chapter makes up for it. Since you waited so long for it, I won't say any more, at least until the **RoR**.

**Chapter Fifteen  
First Attempt**

Inuyasha felt the chill again, stronger. He didn't care. His heart was bursting over! He didn't want to grip the stick, because… well, to be blunt, it had Kagome's pee on it. Touching her urine kind of took love a bit too far.

Still, the creepy feeling he had going up his spine didn't abate. It felt like spiders were just going up, under his shirt… He even slapped a hand to his own back awkwardly, trying to get rid of the feeling.

He went out, went down the stairs, and looked out the kitchen window. Kagome was nowhere in sight. He waited almost half an hour before impatience turned to worry. She would have been back by now. If there was even a chance of pregnancy, she should know that it would be bad for the baby to be so long out in the cold.

He put on a thick jacket, although he wouldn't really be able to feel the cold anyway, and he went outside to wait for her. Souta followed him when he saw Inuyasha pass by.

"What's up?"

"Kagome's not back yet," Inuyasha said.

"Oh, well, go look for her, and bring her back."

"All right. Go inside kid. It's cold." He paced until he could see the path he made in the yellow grass. "Kagome!" Inuyasha yelled, not caring about neighbors. He went down the stairs, started to jog in the direction that had her scent. He even got down on all fours to make sure he was following her scent. Another scent mingled with hers and one spot, and then the mixed scents went to the other side of the street. There was also a strong herbal scent that made him sneeze as well. The scent had vanished. There was still a lingering trace of her fragrance in the air, but it ended there. In fact, he could almost swear that it went upwards, into the sky.

The phone in the phone booth started to ring. He stared at it numbly, walking over and picking it up. He didn't say anything and just listened.

"Hello, Inuyasha," Naraku's voice said. Inuyasha tensed.

"You have Kagome," Inuyasha said tightly. Naraku gave a pitiless laugh.

"Yes, indeed. Leave it to you to go straight to the point."

"I want her back. Give her back," Inuyasha said, his hand starting to tighten on the phone.

"How primitive. You call Myouga, tell him what _I _want, and I will give you what _you _want. Oh and by the way… I doubt I need to tell you what will happen to Kagome if you call the police. I'm about to go into a meeting, so ta-ta!" Naraku hung up. With numb fingers, Inuyasha returned the phone to the hook.

"I wasn't planning on police," Inuyasha murmured, upper lip rising to reveal his fangs. He could feel his demon blood start to take over. He felt his claws lengthen and he relished it. All the better to tear Naraku apart with. _My mate is gone_. It was his only thought, the only thing that he could process through his raging mind.

"Inuyasha!" It was Souta, who had come out looking for him when he had not come back. "You _still _haven't found Kagome? Gee, and I thought dog-demons were--" Souta paused when he saw Inuyasha. Inuyasha looked at Souta, felt himself becoming normal again. His demon side mourned as it went dormant again. His human side welcomed the return of logic.

"What's going on?" Souta asked. "You looked different for a moment there."

"They took Kagome. Let's go home and tell your mother. I need to talk to Myouga," Inuyasha said, tightly holding onto his composure.

* * *

Kagome awoke to bright yellow. It was enough to hurt her eyes, and she closed them for a moment. She opened them again to see a face hovering over hers. She didn't even think of making a sound, just blinked, hoping it would come into focus.

"Hello, dear. I see you're awake," Kagura said, smiling down at her. Kagome shot up, nearly colliding with Kagura.

"What are you going to do with me?" Kagome asked.

"Well, I see you skipped the traditional question of 'Where am I?'," Kagura stated. "Breaking the rules of kidnapping already."

"There are rules?" Kagome asked, trying to clear her fuzzy brain.

"Of course dear. What did you think we were? Barbarians?" Kagura asked with a snide smile.

"Okay… Where am I?" Kagome said, finding that ankles were tied and her hands tied behind her.

"Another rule is that the kidnapper never tells the kidnapped person anything." Kagome sighed.

"So you kidnapped me?"

"Me personally? Why, yes, I did. Naraku didn't want to dirty his pretty little hands," Kagura said, sitting next to Kagome. "My, is that uncomfortable?" Kagura asked, eyeing Kagome's bonds. Kagome shifted.

"Yeah, a little. Could you untie me? It's not like I can do anything," she said irritably. "There isn't even a freaking window in this room. So where's Naraku?"

"Press conference. You know, he had to have an alibi," Kagura said.

"And you?" Kagura hesitated. Kagura motioned for Kagome to turn, and she did. Kagura sliced through the ties around Kagome's wrists, and Kagome in turn untied her own ankles. "He doesn't care what happens to me, so long as he doesn't get penalized," Kagura said.

"Oh. So he manipulates his own secretaries into doing his dirty work."

"He _does _have my heart," Kagura said with a sigh. Kagome stared at her.

"You're in love with him?"

"No!" Kagura blurted. She scowled. "I do not like that piece of… I mean, he _literally _has my heart. He would crush it and I would die if it were his wish."

"That's horrible," Kagome murmured. "Demon magic?"

"Yes. It's like the tin man in the Wizard of Oz. I don't have a heart, and I'm doing everything I can to get to the Wizard of Oz, so as to get it back." Kagura laughed mirthlessly.

Kagome felt sympathy for the woman stir.

"I long for freedom," Kagura said. She smiled a bit cruelly at Kagome. "And I can have it, according to him, so long as he ends up with Inuyasha dead, and _you _as _his_."

Kagome stared at Kagura. Any smidgen of sympathy she had felt was starting to dissipate.

"So… the deal you have with him… is to give me to him, and kill Inuyasha?" Kagome asked slowly. Kagura shrugged.

"I suppose so, yes."

"You're crazy."

"Yes, I know. So… How's your day going?" Kagura asked conversationally, crossing her legs at the foot of the bed. Kagome stared at her.

"Peachy. Just peachy," Kagome said.

"Oh, now, Kagome dear… Don't be so sarcastic."

"Sorry. Just can't seem to help it," Kagome said, making sure sarcasm was dripping off of her voice. Kagura grinned.

"So, I've been wondering. Does that ring indicate that you're a fiancée to someone that we both know? Or does that mean that you're a wealthy single woman not looking for anyone right now?"

"What do you think?"

"Tsk tsk… I told you that sarcasm doesn't suit you, girl." Kagome ignored her. Staring at her ring, she remembered what she was doing before Kagura had snatched her.

She had been about to find out if she was pregnant or not. Kagome's gaze flew to Kagura.

"What did you use to knock me out? Not chloroform, right?" Kagome knew that chloroform could have a bad effect on her unborn child, _if _she was pregnant.

"What does it matter?" Kagura asked, her eyebrow raised.

"I don't want to be plagued with health problems if-- _when-- _I ever get out of here," Kagome said. Kagura only rolled her eyes.

"No. Just a really strong herb. It's rare, but with Naraku's money and power, anything can be found, really." Kagome breathed a sigh of relief. She made sure that her hand didn't stray to her stomach. That would give Kagura too many little clues.

"So… The chance of you just letting me run out into the wild is pretty slim, huh?"

"Actually, it's broader than you think," Kagura said with a smirk. "But you probably won't like it. So, instead, why don't you _not _risk it and stay in here?"

Kagome normally would have argued. Normally, she would have said to heck with it. Now, however, she _really _had something to look forward to. A life with Inuyasha… A family with him… She would not risk her life now when it was possible that she'd be risking another as well. "Yeah, I think that might be a good idea," Kagome replied, murmuring.

"Scared?" Kagura taunted.

"No!" Kagome snapped. "I just know Inuyasha will come for me. That's all. Say, I got a question for you. Are you going to feed me?"

"Of course. We have to have you in prime condition to use you as a bargaining chip for Inuyasha."

"Wonderful… So, about that food. I'm starved. Could you get me a tuna sandwich with relish in it and some cereal? That would be great, thanks." She had a craving the items she mentioned, but she did it in a way where she would make Kagura unsuspicious of the fact that she was craving these foods. Still, Kagura made a face.

"That doesn't sound like too good of a combination."

"What can I say?" Kagome patted her flat belly. "Stomach of steel."

"You would have to have one to eat that," Kagura said as she walked out of the room. Kagome noticed that Kagura did not even bother to lock the door. Five minutes passed by and still Kagura did not appear with her food. Her stomach rumbled, and she rolled her eyes at her belly.

"Calm down." She believed she was pregnant. She normally didn't even eat tuna sandwiches, but as soon as Kagura mentioned food, Kagome was hit with the craving. She laid her hand on her belly, looking at her surroundings. It was rather a large room, brightly lit. The bed had a canopy, and the covers clashed with the walls. "I _must _find the name of his decorator," Kagome murmured. Her covers were bright pink, fighting with the bright yellow. There were some stuffed animals on the bed, and Kagome raised her brow as she looked at them. "I never thought he was a stuffed animals kind of guy."

Kagome flung herself backwards on the bed, letting the air rush out of her lungs. Curiosity taking over, she got up and walked to the door. She opened it a crack, trying to look at the limited view and see if Kagura was there or not. Deducing that she was not, Kagome opened the door wider. From the side, Kagura appeared. Kagome shrieked, her hand flying to her chest.

"Don't scare me like that!" Kagome snapped.

"Trying to escape?" Kagura asked. Kagome sniffed and didn't answer as she walked back to the bed.

"So where's my food?" Kagome asked, sitting at a small table next to the bed. Kagura snapped her fingers, and Kagome stared in fascination as a man in a butler outfit came in. "Got him whipped good," Kagome stated as the man promptly set the table and put the food on the table.

"I do my job." Kagura took a sandwich, bit into it. Kagura gave a disgusted look, gave it to the butler who threw it away in a trash can.

"So what is your job exactly?" Kagome asked, grabbing a sandwich for herself as well. She bit into it, smiled at Kagura who watched her closely. "Kidnap girls and train butlers to follow every command?"

Kagura paused, her eyes narrowing as she contemplated something. "Yes. And to follow all of Naraku's directions. His word is law."

"I can see why you want to stay here," Kagome said, finishing off her sandwich. After she was done with her meal, Kagome sat on her bed, looking around the room until her gaze resettled on Kagura.

"Can I speak with him?" Kagome asked softly. Kagura hesitated.

"Inuyasha or Naraku?"

"Both, if you can manage. One and the other, please," Kagome said. Kagura rose to her feet, and went out the door, the butler trailing behind her. When Kagome was a little girl, she used to want a mansion with butlers and maids, but if that was how you were supposed to treat them, she did not want any part of it.

Kagome went back to the bed, lying on it and contemplating her situation. Here she was pregnant (or at least, she thought she was) and away from Inuyasha, where she wanted to be most right now. What was taking him so long? She wanted out of here, and she put her trust in him one hundred percent to get her out.

She wanted out, and she wanted it now.

* * *

He was terrified. What was he going to do? He knew what he _wanted _to do, and that was tell Kagome's mother and then go look for the bastard himself. Dammit. He hated giving bad news to people. Especially when he was on the verge of breaking down himself. He wouldn't blame her mother if she decided to kill him. Slowly. Torturously.

"She what? Are you sure she just didn't go jogging somewhere else?" Kagome's mother asked, a hand to her throat. Inuyasha knew how she felt. He felt like puking himself.

"Yes, I'm sure. This nose isn't very keen in a dog's sense, but in a human sense, I would stake my honor on it," Inuyasha said. "Plus, Naraku called and told me. He's making this personal between him and me."

"Why? Why _my _daughter?" Mrs. Higurashi asked, sitting down slowly. Inuyasha didn't sit-- he couldn't. He had to continue to move, move, move.

"Because your daughter is associated with me," Inuyasha said heavily. His fault. That's what it boiled down to. This was all his doing. If only--

"Why you?" Mrs. Higurashi questioned fiercely, her indignation at having her daughter kidnapped come forth.

"Because I… made his girlfriend fall in love with me."

"What?"

"Not intentionally!" Inuyasha said quickly. "She was… Kagome looks like her, a bit..."

"So you're going out with Kagome because she looks like your ex?"

"No! I would never do that to her! In fact, that made me discourage my own attraction to your daughter at first."

"Okay, so tell me. _Why does Naraku have my daughter_?"

"Kikyou, my ex, used to be Naraku's woman. But then she found out what kind of man he was, and came to me. I loved her, so sloppy seconds were fine with me. Naraku wasn't having it though. I think somehow, he set it up so that it looked like I was cheating on her. She wouldn't believe me when I came to her with my suspicions, and she left me. She didn't talk to me, not even the day she died."

"That's horrible!" Mrs. Higurashi said, her sympathy showing. "So what is he going to do to Kagome?" she asked fearfully.

"I honestly don't know. Before, he would never threaten Kikyou. He loved her too much to do anything to her. But centuries have passed, so I wouldn't bet Kagome's life on it. I can't do that."

"So what do we have to do to get my Kagome back?" Mrs. Higurashi asked fiercely, wiping away tears from her face.

"I have to call Myouga to get the papers and money together. I'm not willing to risk Kagome's life on anything. I love her too much," he said, feeling tears prick his eyes. He determinedly kept them at bay, going towards the phone in another room. He wanted privacy.

He quickly dialed Myouga's number, listening to it ring. He waited in tense anticipation, and finally, a breathy, feminine voice answered the phone.

"Tetsusaiga Inc., this is Kanna speaking." Inuyasha paused. Who was Kanna? No. More matters were important right now.

"I need to talk to Myouga. I don't care if he's in a meeting. Tell him Inuyasha is calling and it's a fucking emergency," Inuyasha said quickly.

"All right, if you'll hold on one moment--"

"Quickly!" Inuyasha said, feeling his nerves shred as Kanna went to talk to Myouga. There was a soft click, and Myouga was on the phone.

"What's wrong, Inuyasha?" Myouga asked.

"Kagome was kidnapped by Naraku. He fucking _took her_!" he yelled, surprising himself. He thought he had a better hold on himself. To his astonishment, he found that he was crying as well. Quickly wiping off the wetness from his cheeks, he quickly glanced at the door to make sure it was still shut. "Naraku wants papers and the money for you to hand the company over."

"But… Inuyasha…"

"I don't care. I don't care what happens. I need Kagome back," Inuyasha hissed.

"You _do _understand that most people would lose their jobs, and that Naraku will win," Myouga said.

"I don't fucking _care_!" Inuyasha was breathing hard. "I just want Kagome! Listen, Myouga. You're not seeming to understand me. I don't care if people lose their jobs. _Jobs _are not more important than Kagome's _life_. So get your fucking ass to your damn assistant and tell her to draw up the papers, have a meeting or two, break the news to the people, but _don't _go to the police. In fact, don't tell _anyone _until it's over and done. Then, I'm sure Naraku will be slippery enough to not care. He'll have paperwork buried so deep that an earthquake wouldn't be able to unearth it. So get it _done_!" Inuyasha hung up on him, fisted his hands in his hair, and wondered what to do.

* * *

Kagome polished off the sandwiches and made an uncomfortable discovery; she had to pee, and very badly. She went out the door, and looked around. There were large oak doors to each bedroom. She looked around, callously opening doors here and there. She even opened it on a group of men who were playing cards in a thick atmosphere of smoke. They looked at her curiously, but she only shut the door.

Did they not care that she could escape?

Kagome made her way to another door, and pushed it open. She had found the bathroom. Her bladder was ready to burst, and she thought it did the moment she sat on the toilet.

When she was done, she washed her hands and looked in the mirror. She looked like she was… well, a kidnapped person. Her hair was mussed up and there were shadows under her eyes. Growling, she attacked her hair with a clean brush that she found. Naraku had undoubtedly left it there for her, the bastard. She was getting wary when he was being so... so… _nice_. Weren't kidnappers supposed to bad things to their hostages? She was _only _locked in a mansion where her every craving was satisfied and she was allowed to wander around with no interference and no threats. Oh yeah. She was _so _scared now.

Of course, she wasn't complaining either. What kind of crazy nutcase would _ask _for worse circumstances?

She wondered if she could find a phone… She continued to walk around, keeping a wary eye out for Kagura. The wary eye didn't do its job at all. Kagome gave a little shriek as Kagura tapped her on the shoulder. Kagura looked at her curiously.

"Well. How do you like the house?"

"More like a castle," Kagome mumbled. "It's too big," was her verdict. "And the colors in my room make my head hurt. Who were the men in the room I walked in?"

"That's none of your business. I spoke with Naraku. He said he would love to have dinner with you, as long as you dress appropriately."

"These are the only clothes I have, so--"

"He said that your closet was just _filled _with elegant, beautiful things that he was sure you were going to love."

"Well, that's perfect. Just perfect," Kagome said, blowing her bangs out of her face. She bet that they weren't as good as the one that Nanami had made her. Nothing could beat _that _gorgeous black dress. Kagura led her back to her room, since she didn't even remember what floor, door, and the color of the hall was. There, in the closet, were a variety of dresses that she didn't find to be of good quality. They _were _good quality, but they just didn't suit her. There were tacky rhinestones everywhere, as far as the eye could see. Every dress that she touched had _some _kind of stone sowed onto it.

"He said I would _love _these?" Kagome asked, aghast. "Does he expect me to wear one of these?"

Kagura walked over, and sifted through the dresses herself, grimacing as she looked at most of the dresses.

"He might be rich, but he's still a man," Kagura said matter-of-factly. Kagome felt a flash of kinship, from woman-to-woman. That moment made her more uncomfortable, because it didn't do to get friendly with her kidnapper. Besides, Kagura was willing to kill Inuyasha for her own life. That took away a few too many brownie points.

"This one's not too bad," Kagome said, reaching into the back and bringing out a dress that had the least amount of tacky colored stones on it. It was a dark, satin blue, with only a line of different colored stones going from one shoulder, between the breasts, down to the hem.

"You could wear this," Kagura said, pulling out another dress. It was a Chinese style dress, and didn't have any stones on it. That alone made Kagome jump on it.

"Perfect!" It was a burgundy color, rich and creamy. Kagome went to the bathroom, wearing it. She looked at her hair, limp and flat against her head. She decided that she didn't want to make the effort for Naraku.

Kagome came out, and frowned at Kagura who had poked her head into the room that she had gone into before. It was the one where the men had been sitting, playing card games. They had looked intimidating, one, maybe more, with a whole suit of body armor. Naraku's bodyguards, maybe? But then, why were they here when she knew he was at a meeting? So, she could safely deduce that they weren't his bodyguards… Unless he had a whole army of bodyguards, and these were just the ones on break.

She gave up. There was just no telling. His own private army, maybe.

Kagura withdrew her head after chastising the men for being so rowdy. Kagura coughed delicately, waving at the smoke that had escaped the room in the short amount of time that she had stuck her head in. Kagura saw Kagome watching and smiled easily.

"Naraku's little army," Kagura explained, and Kagome's eyes widened marginally. So her joking thought was true? Or was Kagura just pulling her leg? "Well, his temporary army. He knows that it will take a little more than the ordinary to deter a demon from his mate."

"Inuyasha's only a half-demon," Kagome said. "Still, I'm pretty sure he can take care of them." Inside, she wasn't so sure, but she believed in Inuyasha. She had to.

"Yes, he _is _a half-demon, isn't he? Well, truth be told, he can _become _a demon if pushed. He will change once he is close to death and he lets his baser instincts take over."

"He wouldn't," Kagome said, but she wasn't sure if she believed herself. "He won't come close to death. I won't let it happen."

"Yes, well… We'll see, won't we?"

"I suppose we will," Kagome said.

"Come. It's time for you to have your desired chat with Naraku." Kagura led the way, down the winding stairs to the dining room.

Naraku was already there, a small smile on his face. Kagome shuddered involuntarily as those cold eyes focused on her. They were icy, and she _knew _he was capable of murder. He would enjoy it. She looked straight into his eyes defiantly, and wished she hadn't. She had been wrong. They weren't icy. They were fiery. Not with passion, like Inuyasha's beautiful amber eyes, but they were fiery as the depths of hell. She could almost feel her skin burn from the flames licking from his eyes.

She showed none of her fear outside, although she knew that he could probably smell it.

"What would you like to eat?" Naraku said, and his eyes told her that, yes, he knew that she was afraid.

"Do I get a menu?" Kagome asked derisively. Just because she was scared didn't mean she would be cowering.

"If you would like," Naraku said easily. Kagome scowled.

"I want anything with tuna." Kagome said. Why not? She was getting the craving again. His eyes sharpened on her, and she felt the sweat at the base of her spine. Did he know? Could demons tell if someone was pregnant or not? Did Inuyasha say anything about it? No, right? I mean, Inuyasha would have been able to tell, right?

She hoped to God Naraku didn't know. There was no idea what he could hold over _both _of them if he knew she was pregnant. If she would be able to keep Inuyasha's child and raise him or her as her own, she would do anything, whether it required a bed or not.

She was ashamed to say it, but she would whore herself to Naraku for the sake of her child. Her body meant nothing to her if it meant she could save her and Inuyasha's child.

"And vegetable soup," she added, hoping to add some variety to her cravings. Just to throw Naraku off. Maybe. "And some white bread to go along with that."

"Hungry?" Naraku asked. "How many are you feeding?" Kagome nearly froze, but she looked at him calmly.

"Who else would I be feeding? Do you have any pets underfoot that I can feed?"

"No. Do you want one? I could get you one by tomorrow," Naraku said as he snapped his fingers. Immediately, the same butler that had tended to her came through a door. Kagome was flabbergasted. Did he just wait on the other side of the door, waiting for that small sound?

Probably. Naraku _could _pay him to do it. The butler nodded as Naraku said something to him. Kagome had thanked the distance between him and her because of the humongous table. She was on the opposite side of the table, with candles between them. Now, however, she cursed the distance. Whatever he had whispered into the butler's ear couldn't have been too good.

She did _not _like surprises, and she would be darned if she let him surprise her. She wouldn't eat the food that came out. He probably drugged it.

The food came out, and Kagome watched as wine was poured. She held up the glass, looked distastefully at it.

"Could I just have ice water, please?" Kagome asked the person that had presented the food. He seemed flustered, but ushered off to get her what she asked for. She didn't miss the glance that he gave Naraku. She sat back, giving Naraku a cold look.

"You drugged my food," she said matter-of-factly. Naraku stared at her for a moment, then smiled that small smile once more.

"I should learn to be more discreet with my actions," Naraku said, taking a bite of his food.

"Why would you want to drug me?" Kagome bit out.

"To make you mine in my bed while you were out cold. You would be more reluctant to leave if you were to have my child," Naraku said, smiling at her across the table. Kagome gripped the edges of the table and felt the urge to throw up. It wasn't morning sickness, either. "Anything wrong?" Naraku asked, as if he hadn't just said what he did.

"Other than _you_?" Kagome said, and she could feel the bile rise in her throat. So he _didn't _know that she was already pregnant. She would have to keep that information quiet. What a horrendous thought he had just instilled into her mind.

Naraku said out loud, "Bring her another untainted plate."

Kagome was still unwilling to eat as they brought out another plate.

"Kagome, dear, you're still not eating."

"I'm not stupid."

"No, indeed you're not. How do you intend to let Inuyasha know, if you don't mind my asking? My house is the best-kept secret in the world. Well, it might come second after Victoria's Secret."

If it was any other person, Kagome would have smiled smugly and said, "That's because us women are superior to you men, and we know how to make ourselves look _good_." However, with Naraku, she only shrugged.

Naraku ate his plate with relish. "So?" That was when Kagome remembered that he had asked her a question.

"I don't know. I just suppose he'll intuitively know, hm?" Kagome said, looking around the vast dining room. Kagome got up, walked to the middle of the table and blew out the candles and went back to her seat. Naraku looked at her curiously. Kagome smiled sweetly at him. "Wouldn't want you believing something that was entirely untrue, now, would I? Those candles seemed way to romantic for my taste. Personally, I don't even dine with people like you."

"People like me?" Naraku asked.

Kagome waved her hand in a gesture as if he already knew. "You know… Scum of the earth and all." Naraku gave a small laugh that she found a bit sinister. He might as meant it as a ha-ha chuckle, but she found it as a duck-under-the-table sneer. People like him just couldn't be seen as ha-ha. "Are you going to allow me to speak to Inuyasha?" Kagome asked. "It's not like _I _even know where the heck I am."

Naraku tilted his head as if considering. Kagome didn't speak. She needed to speak to Inuyasha. If that meant keeping her mouth shut rather than insulting her kidnapper, she would do it. She had hoped that Naraku would give her a clue as to where she was, but nooo… He just had to be difficult about it. Well, fine. As long as she got to speak to Inuyasha…

"Okay," Naraku said, forking up another bite. "It could work well for my plans."

Kagome discreetly let out a relieved breath. She stood. "Just direct me to the nearest phone."

Kagome was led by the butler and not by Kagura. She had thought Kagura would be like a safety net, just in case Kagome decided to call the police or something. She wouldn't call the police. At least not until she had talked to Inuyasha first.

The butler left her to the phone and left the room to her. Kagome waited a few moments, and even peeked her head out to make sure that the butler had left the door and was not eavesdropping. He wasn't. She was getting incredibly suspicious. Naraku most likely just had the phones bugged so he could possibly hear whatever she said in an entirely different room. She sighed. Probably.

She dialed Inuyasha's number, and listened tensely to the rings.

One… Two… He picked up.

"Hello?" His voice was hoarse, and he sounded tired. Kagome despaired for him. She suddenly felt tears come to her eyes. She wasn't scared here, but she was scared for Inuyasha. How he must have felt, to learn that she was pregnant by himself and then learn in only a few minutes that she had been taken by Naraku. "Hello?" he repeated, his voice more tense and aware now.

"Inuyasha," Kagome choked out. She missed him. It had not even been a full day and she already missed him. Especially when she was in this psycho's house.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha on the other end was now on his feet, gripping the phone as if it was his lifeline. The despair he had been feeling for the last couple of hours disappeared at the sound of her voice. Now, only concern filled him. Why did she sound so sad? What was happening to her? "Did that fucker touch you? I swear, if he did--"

"No, he didn't touch me. In fact, I'm being treated like a princess over here," Kagome said, her voice still wavery. That's why Inuyasha didn't believe her.

"I'm going to tear off his--"

"Inuyasha, I'm just a little watery right now because it's such a relief to hear your voice." Inuyasha relaxed and gave a nervous, strained laugh.

"_You're _relieved to hear _my _voice?" Inuyasha repeated. Before she could say anything, he quickly asked, "Kagome, where are you? How are you calling me?"

"He let me use the phone. I think it's bugged, so don't say anything you don't want heard," Kagome said.

"All right," he said tightly. "Did he mistreat you in any way, Kagome?"

"No," she answered honestly. "He didn't. It's starting to unnerve me." Kagome _did _start crying then, to Inuyasha's horror.

"Kagome! Baby, what's wrong?" he asked.

"Inuyasha, come and find me, okay? If you don't… I don't… I can't…" Kagome stifled a sob, and she quickly whispered, "I love you," before hanging up. It hurt to talk to him. She didn't know if he would ever find her.

Sniffling a bit and straightening, her mind raced. She would have to get out herself. There was no way for Inuyasha to find out where she was, and there was no way she could stay here for even one more day. She couldn't put her baby at risk of drugs or other various things. At least she had a chance… out there… where ever…

She was going to need to pack. She went into her room, and rummaged in the closet. What she found nearly made her gag. It was a tote bag covered in rhinestones. She wanted something unnoticeable, but if this was the only thing she could find, it would be the only thing to do. She had to pack the whole thing with food. She didn't care about hygiene at the moment, although toilet paper was a must. She went to the bathroom, and found the closet to be filled with toilet paper and towels.

She put one towel on the bottom, and a couple of rolls of tissue paper inside. Then, leaving her tote bag in her room in her closet, she went to the kitchen. She needed things that wouldn't smell too much. She needed things that wouldn't really get rotten.

She rummaged in the fridge, mumbling something about a snack to the startled maid who had come through the door.

"I can get anything you like for you, miss--" Kagome shook her head.

"No, I'm all right," Kagome said, pushing aside various items. As she did, a sudden thought struck her. She whirled around, pinned the maid with her gaze.

"Do you know who I am?" Kagome asked.

"No, ma'am. Master Naraku said you were his girlfriend, ma'am. He brings them up here sometimes, so it's no big surprise," the maid said carelessly, then realized who she was talking to. She slapped a hand over her mouth, and looked frightfully at Kagome. Kagome gave her a reassuring smile.

"That's all right. I'm…" She wondered if she should tell the maid what she really was, but she thought suspiciously that Naraku could have sent her as a spy. He could have all the butlers and maids as spies. She would have to be even _more _careful without seeming to be. "I'm famished," she finished. "But don't worry about it," she said quickly as the maid rushed to the fridge to cater to her needs. "I'd rather find something to eat myself. Thank you for your concern though," Kagome said.

She looked into the fridge. She grabbed as many canned foods as she could find, then stole the can opener when the maid left the kitchen. She also stole a fork. Naraku wouldn't notice the disappearance of kitchen appliances, would he? Besides, it seemed as if they had an electric can opener anyway.

Kagome wondered if she could kill Naraku with the can opener. She noticed with some small level of amusement that the knives were hidden from view. She left the cans in a drawer, leaving them there for easy access. She bound up the stairs and went to grab the bright tote bag.

She went back down the stairs with it, hiding behind corners to make sure no butlers were coming. Her mind was buzzing, trying to come up with a good excuse for lurking around if she was found out. Realizing there was nothing she could say that would justify sneaking around someone's house, she did something they probably wouldn't expect. She walked in full view, the tote back glinting off the hallway lights to shine in anyone's face like a disco ball. She acted as if it was natural to carry around the hideous thing. The first thing she would do when she got back to Inuyasha was to burn the darn thing.

The maids and butlers looked at her curiously, but didn't say anything to her. Kagome grinned at her own intelligence. They didn't suspect her of anything but bad fashion sense! Kagome quickly and briskly walked down the hall. She peeked in through the kitchen door, and saw no one. She immediately went in. She cautiously went to the drawer, and opened it. She piled the cans inside, and made sure she also grabbed the fork and the can opener.

When she opened the door, she gaped at Kagura. Kagura eyed Kagome's tote bag with amusement.

"Escaping with style?" Kagura drawled. Kagome's mind raced. What could she possibly tell her? Oh, well, might as well try the truth.

"No. Escaping with no style at all," Kagome said back through stiff lips. Would Kagura try to stop her?

Kagura shrugged, moved out of the way so Kagome could go.

As Kagome ran out of the front door, she went up the stairs to the room still filled with billowing smoke. Kagome would either come screaming back with fright of the unknown, or she would come screaming back over the shoulder of one of the Shichinintai.

* * *

Inuyasha had never felt so lost in his life. That last choked statement from Kagome had him fighting for composure. He lost. He did not sob, or cry aloud. He only stared at a nonexistend spot on the wall and let the tears come out. He couldn't stand not being able to do anything. Until the day he died, he would never forget the helplessness and hopelessness inside of him.

He clutched at his chest, at the spot over his heart. He wished she hadn't hung up so quickly. He wished he could have told her he loved her and his child. Wiping the tears away from his cheeks, he called Miroku. On th second ring, he picked up groggily.

"This better be good, Inuyasha," Miroku murmured sleepily as Sango woke up slowly beside him.

"Kagome was kidnapped by Naraku," Inuyasha heard himself say. He was surprised by his own voice. It was steely, frigidly cold, and in control.

Miroku sat up quickly, his sleep-hazed mind quickly clearing. "What?" he yelled. Sango sat up next to him, concern on her face at his new tone.

"So I need you to do me a favor. Don't mention this on the radio, and don't mention this to authorities of any kind."

"You didn't go to the police?"

"Don't you think I would have, if I could have?" Inuyasha said through gritted teeth. "No police. Just keep an eye out, Miroku. Use your sources, and try to find out where the fuck she is."

"Yeah, okay. I'm on it." Inuyasha hung up. Next, he dialed Ayame's number.

"Hi, Uncle Inu," Ayame said as cheerfully as possible. If Inuyasha was in his right state of mind, he would have been automatically suspicious. Only Kagome--

Thinking of Kagome made his throat close up with tears again.

Ayame cleared her throat nervously. Did Kagome already tell him? Was he so mad about it that he couldn't speak to her?

"Ayame," Inuyasha managed, and the raw tone of his voice made her alert and on edge. This wasn't about Kouga.

"Did something happen to Kagome? Uncle Inu, what's wrong/" Ayame asked desperately when he did not answer for a few seconds.

"Naraku took her," Inuyasha said in a wavering voice. From inside, a considerable amount of fury shook him again. The fucking bastard had stolen the only thing that mattered to him from right under his nose! "Son of a bitch took her!" he whispered harshly. Only the thought of Kagome's family outside the door kept him from clawing something-- or someone-- to shreds.

Ayame was in shocked silence. Then, she said, "Uncle Inu, give me the address and I'll be over as fast as I can. Hang on." He heard rustling noises as she looked for pencil and paper.

Woodenly and coldly-- anything was better than the banked bloodlust inside of him-- he recited the address of the shrine, then hung up. He heard the yells erupt on the other side of the door as Mrs. Higurashi undoubtedly had filled Grandpa in.

Grandpa burst in, despite Mrs. Higurashi's attempts at holding him back. Whoever thought the old man would be so strong?

Grandpa grabbed the front of Inuyasha's shirt, glaring menacingly and hatefully at him.

"This is your fault," Grandpa hissed, ignoring Mrs. Higurashi's sharp, indignant protest on Inuyasha's behalf. Inuyasha remained silent. What could he say when he agreed with the old man? "Fix this, and bring my granddaughter back, or so help me, I'll--"

"Grandpa!" Kagome's mother snapped out again. Grandpa only frowned at his daughter disapprovingly. He let go of Inuyasha's shirt, and stalked out. Inuyasha felt his control nearly break again when he saw Souta in the doorway, wide, teary eyes staring at him, cutting into him, before Souta followed Grandpa to soothe him.

"It's not your fault," Kagome's mother said softly, laying a hand on Inuyasha's shoulder. Inuyasha couldn't help it. The compassion that Mrs. Higurashi had shown him broke his composure once more. He wept on Mrs. Higurashi's shoulder, and felt her tears on his own shoulder. Through shared grief and love for Kagome, they shared their tears as well.

* * *

**wk**: Okay. I'm going to speak very little. _**I'm very sorry it took so long to update**_. Youhave my permission to stake me to an anthill and boil me in oil.**713 reviews**! Okay, I'm done.

**_ReViEw oF rEvIeWs_**:

Haha... Calm down, **Wake-Robin**! And you _will _get a sequel. (Grins) Sorry it took me so long to update...

Glad you liked the IK proposal so much **Leni**! And yes, I figured that Kouga's ego in the show was a bit inflated, so I decided to use Ayame to puncture it a bit. Haha... Sorry I updated so late!

THANKS. There really is no other word needed here, either, lol. Thanks for your review, **jj**, and sorry it took so long to update!

Haha... I tried not to be _too _cruel, **Drake Clawfang**. Glad you liked the bragging thing. Hope you liked this chapter, too, and sorry it took me so long to update!

I love my reviews. Haha, thanks for reviewing, **country-inugirl03**. Sorry it took so long to updatteeeeee...

Haha, glad you took the time just to review, **kayzer**! Sorry it took me so long to freakin' update!

Haha... I'm afraid I just turned into one of those authors! Oh man, sorry that it took me so looonnngggg... It's just that these past few months have been hectic. Hope you're still with the story, **Wolf Blossom**!

Did the link I send you work, **Kimiki**? I don't remember... Well, anyways, I apologize that it took me so long to update! Hope you're still with me!

Haha, didn't know it was your personal quote, **Kombat-King**. I tried to make this as lighthearted as possible, but that's just not possible when the love of your life is gone and her life hangs in the balance, you know? Glad you think I'm improving though. Makes me happy. Sorry it took me so long to update!

Haha, glad I got such a... er... _vicious _reaction out of ya, **silentslayer**. I'm sure Inuyasha would appreciate the help.

Haha, I know I was very cruel. It was meant to be, and this chapter was a bit cruel too, I suppose. And Kouga and Ayame will have to wait for later. There are more important matters at hand at the moment. Oh dear. Thanks for the review, **Fuu43**, and I'm sorry it took so long to update!

No worries, **TriGemini**! I'm not sure I would have the heart to let anything happen to Inuyasha's child... Then again, I could just be saying that to delude you, too, as an evil authoress... Mwahaha... Just kidding. And of _course _I'll have Inuyasha and Kouga meeting. It's just too hilarious of a scene not to miss.

Yep yep. He got one of his underlings to do it. Namely, Kagura. Good job at figuring it out, **xSilverShadowsx**! Sorry it took so long to update!

Of course that would hurt, **Daddy's Pixie**. He's a good friend, right? I mean, my good friend was hurt too, but a woman's gotta do what a woman's gotta do. And don't expect to find Mr. Right in high school. If you do, that's great, but you have like... 50+ years ahead of ya. Don't spend all that time looking for the perfect guy, because trust me... you'll _never _find him. Haha! Oh, and Shippou will be making an appearance later. He's just not... _critical _at this time right now. Now for the rest of the questions... I _think _Kagome's going to be okay, I'm not sure about Inuyasha kicking Naraku's ass because of a plot in my head, you'll see what happens between Inuyasha, Kouga, and Ayame, Sango and Miroku are still in the story as well, Sesshoumaru... I kinda forgot about until you mentioned him, but I will try my best to include him in the end, and don't worry about your inquisitive moods. I have them too. Haha, and yes, this chapter also had a cliff hanger. WHOO. Okay. Deep breath. Now, I have to answer my other reviews. Thanks for your review, and I hope you're still with me, since I took FOREVER just to update. (Grimaces)

Aren't we _all _on sugar highs, **Inuyasha's Dark Angel**? Glad you liked the fic so far! Sorry it took me forever to update, and I hope you're still with me!

Haha... Sorry about that, **Starchick101**. And I went back to the Kouga and Ayame part, and winced when I realized what you said was true. If I'm going to edit this story, I'll be sure to go back and fix it. Thanks so much for mentioning it to me, and keep up the criticism! It only makes me better as a writer. Sorry it took me forever and a day to update. Hopefully, you're still with me! Haha, and yes... damn those cookies!

Wow... I didn't know I could make people cry with my stories, **The Forgotten Child**. Makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside... Not that you cried, just that my story was powerful enough to _do _that. And I'm glad I made Kagome pregnant, too. Adds a little happy twist to the whole... kidnapping thing. Haha. Sorry it took me so long to update, and I hope you're still with me!

Haha! I laughed so hard when you said, "... meanie," **Fushigi Aoi Tenshi**! And yes, I had Ayame made into a pimpette happily. (Grins) I loved that ring. It was the second most gorgeous thing I'd ever seen. Sorry it took me so long to update, and thanks for your review! Can't wait for your next one!

Haha, you'll see what happens, so remember to keep your pants on, **Saiyou the Lover**! Haha! And this chapter ended in a cliffy too... kinda. Haha, sorry it took me so long to update!

Sorry, **xXlovablekdXx**! (Winces) I tried to write it faster and get it out sooner, but... (Sighs) Fate and school were against me. It's a conspiracy!

... Are you kidding, **Librachic**? Haha... He proposed to her... So yes, they're going to end up together...

I believe I sent you the link to the ring, right, **GoldenTuna**? And sorry it took me so freaking long to update... Hopefully, you're still with me!

Uh-oh... Did I send you the link to the ring, **Corner Girl**? Did you get to see it? I don't quite remember... And I'm very glad you reviewed! Makes me feel special that you made an exception for my story. And the next update I make is most likely for my other IY story. So wait for it!

Did I send you the link to the ring, **Gittelbug**? I really don't remember anything... (Sighs) My memory, I'm afraid. Sorry it took me so long to update! Forgive me!

Haha, hopefully, you're not crazy yet, **Krista**! Sorry it took me soooooo long to update! I'll try to update much faster next time!

Thanks, **TsukinoInu**! Hope you're still reading it after all this time...

Sorry it took so long to update, **Inu-Baby18**! I tried my best, but... Eh, took me forever. Sorry!

Hehe... It was the evil authoress in me, I swear, **Orlando's Girl**! The fudge was a nice incentive to update faster though. (Smiles) And... I met your mooses (meese?) of doom! They feared me more than I feared them! Mwahaha!

Sorry it took me so long to update, **ChibiKenshin6490**! Hopefully, you're still with me! Glad you liked my last chapter!

Hehe... Sorry, **sapphirepink**! Made more of an impact that way, I think... Sorry it took me so long to update! Hope you're still with me!

Thanks so much, **sleep walking chicken and HAP**! And yes, you're very observant. (Grins) Don't worry. Everything will turn out all right... maybe... mwahaha! (Coughs) Okay, anyway, thanks for your review, and I'm very, very, very sorry I updated so late! I tried to update earlier, I really did!

Your suggestion about Myouga really intrigued me, **flip-x-fantasy**. I really considered changing my whole ending to go about it your way, but, then, there were too many consequences of that... WAY too many. My head nearly exploded. It was a very well-educated guess though... Wow. I'm impressed my own readers. (Grins) Sorry it took me so long to udpate, and I hope you're still reading this fic. If not... (Cries)

Haha, I'm glad you thought your mother's wrath was less important than my fic, **gothic inuyasha**! Makes me proud. (Grins) If anyone can forsake their mother's wrath for anything else, that's when you know it's a keeper. Sorry it took me so long to update! I tried to do it sooner, but than the virus, and school, and sister, and computer breaking, and... and... (Sighs and kills herself)

Haha, the cherry was a great incentive to try to update sooner, **animefreak-superfreak**, but the virus didn't listen. (Frowns) Sorry I updated so late! Hopefully, you're still reading the fic!

Haha, it sure doesn't, **Aryante**! Sorry you had to wait so long for this chapter. Viruses, sisters, and school, oh my!

Haha, I loved your very prompt review, **inulova4lyfe**! Sorry it took so long to update!

Congratulations on your engagement, **shaid**! That's _awesome_! When's the big day? Your ring sounds sooooo prettyy... Don't be surprised if you find it missing one night. Just don't point the finger at me. Sorry it took me so long to update! Hopefully, you're still reading the story!

Usually, I post up chapters a lot more regularly than I just did for this chapter. I had a problem with a virus, my sister, and school... You know the whole deal... I'm glad that you really liked my story though, **akai no tenshi**! Hopefully, you're still with me!

Haha... That 1 second nearly killed me, **Esther Tan**! And NO. Kagome will NOT lose her baby. I might be cruel enough to leave a cliffhanger, but I'm not _that _cruel... yet. Maybe in another story. We'll see. And no, Inuyasha did not save our Kagome from Naraku yet... But we'll see for the next chapter.(Grins) I think I can safely tell you that the chance of Inuyasha recuing Kagome is slim to none. (Grins again) Think on _that _while you wait for the next chapter! And I'm so glad my stories make you feel so alive... So sorry that it took so long to update!

Yes... They're going to be wonderful parents, because I can't have it any other way. Haha, _they _can't have it any other way. Glad you liked the chapter, **skitzoid**, and I apologize for the chapter being so late... But not to worry! I'll (hopefully) get the next one out sooner!

Glad you like it so much, **Laura-chan**! And yes... Kagome was kidnapped. We just have to see how she gets out of this one... DUN DUN DUN... yeah, anyways, sorry it took so long to update! Glad you were patient with me.

Haha, sorry that you were sick. I was sick for a whole week, too, to my chagrin. And yeah... I'm starting to make things a little more serious, but don't worry! I'll still try to put more spunk in it. And when Inuyasha finds out about Kouga... "Let's Get Ready to Rumble" seems an understatement. And Kanna and the rest of them will all get find out... All in due time, my dear Watson... Er, I mean **NefCanuck**. Did I send you an e-mail for the link of the ring? I'm afraid I don't remember... Thanks for waiting so patiently for my updates, and I'm sorry that this one took so long. I'll try very hard toget the next one out sooner!

Haha, thanks, **Mizo Sakura**! Yes... I had her kidnapped. My evilness inside was screaming at me to do it! I'm sorry! It seemed a bit cliche, but you know. All's well that ends well? And did I send you ane-mail for the ring? I just don't remember... (Grimaces) And whenever I'm online and you're online, just IM me. I don't get pop-ups telling me if someone came on or not. Just say hi, and I'll say hi back... Unless it's my sister, my father, or my mother... if I don't answer, then that's why. Haha, thanks for waiting patiently (or impatiently) for this chapter! I'm so sorry it took so long.

Haha, thanks, **InuKag Fan**! Hopefully, this chapter made your day, too!

Yep... It was a two-for-one special. Did you like it? Haha, hope you liked this chapter, too, **SaiyanPassion**! Sorry you had to wait so long for it, though...

Sorry it took me sooo long to get this chapter out, **raven wings xx**! Next time, I'll try a lot harder to get it out sooner! Thanks for waiting!

Good job with the suspects, **Amanda Trinh**! And yes, Inuyasha found out. Also, I'm very sorry about not updating sooner... I was having lots of problems with my computer and school and other stuff. I'm glad you waited though, if you're still reading!

Haha, how can I _not _take constructive criticism, **KharmaSmack**? I mean, readers are just doing it to make me a better writer, right? Can't say no to bettering yourself. And thanks for putting 102.5 FM! It makes me frustrated that the period doesn't show up in the title. Oh wellll... Sorry it took so long for the update! Hopefully, you're still reading it!

Haha... Sorry you had to wait so long to see this one, **drake220**! I'll try to write my next chapter faster, I promise!

I'm so glad! Something I'm always afraid of, **Night Ember**, is that I'm making them a little _too _out of character. Glad to see that you don't think so! (Grins) Sorry it took me so long to update!

Haha. I tried not to be _too _predictable, but what can I say? Some predictableness is good! Besides, too many twists and turns in this complicated plot. Gives the readers some thought, I say. SO sorry it took me so long to update this chapter. Hopefully, you're still reading it, **Midoriko-sama**!

Haha, yep! The proposal is now set in stone! Haha, and don't worry. As long as you _read _it, I'm happy. Hopefully, you're _still _reading it, **abstract x heart**. You still with the story? You have a great day too! (Grins)

Sorry, **Kikyoubigtimehater**! It's almost over, I promise.

Haha! Thanks so much for the cookies and muffins, **FFStoryteller**! I'm just afraid that they'll go straight to my thighs and my belly... And I have to lose weight, you see. (Sighs) And I'm not just saying that because I'm a girl, either. (Grimaces) Hope you didn't wait too long for this update!

Hehe... I kind of accidentally deleted it... (Grimaces) I was just trying to change the title, and stupid me, I removed the whole chapter. Sorry, **Anne79**!

Haha, you'll _always _have my permission to say _that_, **AngelOfDiamonds**! Hope you didn't wait _too _long for this chapter... Hope you're still with me! I'll try not to take as long with my next chapter. (Grimaces)

Hope you didn't wait too long for this chapter, **Mini Nicka**! And yeah... Kagome will be okay.

Of course, **Duet Masaki**! I mention all of my reviewers! (Grins) Glad you like my story so much, and I'll try to get my next chapter out faster next time!

Haha, sorry, **Julie.O**! And I'm sorry it took so long to update. Hopefully you'll forgive me?

I try my best with with my webs, **Sunrider22**! And if there's any way I can see the art, I'd LOVE to see it! Hope you didn't wait too long for this update... I know I took a _really _long time. I'll try to cut down on the updating time next time... (Grimaces)

Haha, you're welcome, **Mizz Moo**! And your question of chloroform made me think about it, and I addressed the matter in this chapter, I believe. Thanks! And I hope you didn't wait too long for this chapter...

Soooo sorry it took me so long to update, **Keiko89**! Computer problems, sister, and school... Oh my! Hopefully, it'll take a shorter amount of time to udpdate the next chapter. Well, actually, it might not, because I have to write a new chapter for my other story. Well, anyways, wait for it!

Haha, sorry you had to stick with the hated cliffhanger for so long, **iris dreamer**! I'll try to take a shorter time next time.

Sorry to keep you in suspense so long, **Inuyasha-Is-My-Boyfriend**!I am really, _very _sorry that I had to keep you waiting so long... I hope this chapter makes up for it!

So sorry, **Inu-Baby18**. Hopefully, you'll find this chapter a little better, since you know Kagome wasn't hurt.

Haha... Don't go crazy, **Initial A**! Here's the update, and sorry it took so long to get it out! And I appreciate the please and thank you. (Bows in return)

Goldilocks is the best. And so are sugar highs. Don't you thinks so, **Valese**? (Grins)

I'm sure Inuyasha wouldn't mind the help, **SadPoet**! Haha, and I'm _very, very _sorry that I took so long to update. I'm sure you've been shaking in your shoes to find out what happens now, huh? Haha, well, I apologize for that. Hope you had fun with this chapter, and I'll see on the next!

Thanks for the comment about my morals, **hockystar13**! I think they're really good, too, not to sound haughty or anything. I'm so glad you liked my story so much, and I _promise _that I'll try not to take such a long time next time!

Thanks, **JAZ**! This story loves ya right back! I'm so glad you liked it, and I'll try not to take such a long time next time! (Grimaces)

Haha, _yay_ she's kidnapped! Hoorah! Haha! I loved your review, **MM**! And I'm sorry it took me so long to update! It's been a very hectic few weeks... (Winces)

No worries, **Miztical Dragon**! We all know that FanFiction has its glitches. And of _course _I'll e-mail you! Glad you've been sticking with my story so loyally! Hopefully, I'll have that amount of pure will one day for school. Haha, if only I could just _stick _to my studies! (Sighs and winces)

I'll be sure to try to read your story, **MoonlightHayou**! I just need to find the time...

Sorry it took so long to update, **bloomz-baby**! Glad you love the story!

Haha, sorry, **angel-tears-16**! Hope you're not dead yet! And I'll try next time not to take such a long time in updating... (Winces)

Thanks, **kaffeine-buttocks**! Love the name, by the way. And I'm _so _sorry that it took me so LONG to update! I'll try much harder next time to get my chapter out much sooner!

Wowwww... (Whistles) Quite the feat, reading this whole story in one go. You must be a speed reader or something. And no, you're not wrong about Naraku. And I'm sorry it took such a long time to update, **Thistle Galena**! I'll try to update it faster next time to satisfy a majority of my readers!

Sorry it took me so long to update, **aquaprincess1**! I tried to update faster, I really did!

Haha, thanks **DarkFalkyn**! I'm glad you love my story so much! And, of course, I'm very, _very _sorry that I couldn't update sooner. Next time, I'll try to update at a quicker pace!

I'm tyring, **Demon-Inuyasha1**! Thanks for the support!

Happy_very _belated Valentine's day to you too, **rikaloveshinu**! Sorry it took me so long to update! And you would like the link to the ring, give me your e-mail address and I'll be happy to. (Grins)

Wow. I'm impressed, **HellKeeper**! All in one night, hm? I'm sorry it took so long to update, and I'll try to update faster next time.

Don't worry, **ilikesaddleshoes**! I don't have a grasp on the language either. (Grimaces) Wait for the next one! Sorry this one took so long!

I'm tryin', **psychoitic-hanyou**! Haha, stay with the story, you heard!

Haha... Flattery will get you... everywhere, **Rainbow**! Haha! And I don't know how I did it... Just my fingers think on their own, I think... Anyways, I'm glad you enjoyed my story, and I'm sorry I updated so late!

Great! Haha... I've reeled in a new one! And I'm glad you stumbled onto this story as well, **MeMe**! And I'm very sorry it took me so long to update. Hopefully, I won't take as long next time...!

Thanks, **Angel81**!

Yeah, I realized my mistake... Could you tell me if that mistake is still there, **zazolia**, 'cause I could have sworn that I fixed it. Sorry I updated so late!

This story LOVES YOU RIGHT BACK, **HottInuyashaBabe**!

Can't tell you what Naraku will do, Kanna is most likely a spy, although I haven't figured out how to incorporate everything into it, and no, it was not Kanna's mirror, and I will decide when Kagome and Inuyasha will get married... Whew. Answer all your questions, **Rayia**? Haha, wait for the next update! And if you have more questions for me, don't hesitate to ask!

Nope...chloroform was not used, **Nauriell**... Although I am unaware what kind of herbal stuff can knock you out, I'm pretty sure there is _something _that exists. And I looked it up, and it says that it _can _harm the baby. Sooo, I was in a dilemma on whether or not to have her baby okay or not, but then you know... can't be _too _evil. Not unless I want to die at the hands of my readers. Wait for my next update!

Haha, thanks for the encouragement, **Shippo-Luver 4 life**! Sorry it took me _sooo _long to update!

Thanks, **panthera1984**! And no, it's not on the last chapter yet, although it's pretty close... Maybe two, three more chapters, and then I'm _all done_. Wow. That'll be a kick in the gut for me. And I'm sorry it took me so long to update!

So sorry it took me so long, **FanFic luver**! And yes, you were right. It was his own secretary, Miss Kagura! Glad you love my fic so much, and I hope you're still here with me!

I don't know if you came back already or not, but I'm sorry it took me so long to update! And I hope this chapter was good enough for your return, **Chat-Chan**! Thanks for all the compliments, too. Makes my head grow bigger everyday. (Grins)

Haha, thanks, daaaaawling... (I think I enjoyed that _too _much...) Thanks so much for sticking with me this far, **WiCKeD ScHmoNesS**! And I'm very sorry I updated so late! I'll be trying to get out the next chapter much faster!

I know I have more than just "some" mistakes, but eh. Laziness is an ingrown habit, I suppose. And I'm _sooo _very sorry that I updated so late... Problems and busy life and all that junk that you probably already heard, **Jamie**. Thanks so much for enjoying my story!

I've decided to write another chapter, **rubius**! (Grins)

I wrote more, **MysticalElf**! (Laughs and smiles) Hope you didn't wait too long!

Yep yep. Naraku has to do with _everything _evil, horrendous, and just plain bad. Thanks for reading, **Kiala**! See you next chapter! And I'll try to update faster next time!

Thanks, **Crystal Twilight**! And yes, Kouga is stupid... Is Ayame enough to handle him! That's the question. Haha, glad you enjoyed it so much, and I'll try to update faster next time!

Story loves you right back, **none**! Sorry it took so long to update! Personal problems, busy life, blah blah blah... I'm sure you've heard it before. Hehe, hope you're still with the story!

Thanks, **Darknessspreads**!

**The reviews for chapter 15 will be answered in the next chapter, so don't think you were forgotten! I just wanted to take less time in updating, as doing the _ReViEw oF __rEvIeWs _**turns** out to be a challenge. I'm not complaining, of course. The amount of reviews I get give me a warm fuzzy feeling.**


	16. Final Attempt

**Disclaimer: **The characters don't belong to me, sadly. (Sighs) How I wish I had Inu to keep me warm at night...

**wk: **Okay. So, I was _supposed _to update "The Dogs, Spiders, and Wolves" first, but my muse for this story wouldn't let go of my ear. So this is the second to the last chapter. It kind of makes me sad when I think about it. However, there _will _be a **sequel **for this story, so don't worry too much guys!

Now, on with the story!

**Chapter Sixteen  
Final Attempt**

Kagome was not in a good mood. She had come back over the shoulder of a slender man, much to Kagura's amusement. Bankotsu was smiling, his demeanor cold as he dumped Kagome unceremoniously at Kagura's feet. He went back out the door, undoubtedly to finish the game of poker he had been playing. Men were still men, after all.

Kagura sipped her coffee, smiling down at Kagome. "So. Doesn't this mean that you shouldn't try to escape again?

"It just means that I should wear less heavy clothing, and bring a tent," Kagome growled out, still sitting on the floor.

"You can't survive out there. Jaguars and that whole bit. The Amazon Rainforest is actually a dangerous place, despite the efforts to save it," Kagura said.

Kagome kept silent, glaring up at Kagura. Kagura got up, got another cup, and filled it with coffee. She sat again, bending to give it to Kagome. Kagome took it, blowing on it gently before taking a few sips and handing it back up to Kagura.

"So tell me why you live in the jungle," Kagome said.

"Rainforest," Kagura corrected mildly. "It saves a patch of the rainforest, which is good for Naraku's image should his secret ever come out, and it's secluded. _Very _secluded."

"So tell me another thing. How did you know about Inuyasha's secret?" Kagome asked. "Naraku told me that he paid someone to tell him. Who? As far as I know, there are only a few people that know of his job," Kagome said. Kagura's sly smile slowly crept up.

"We paid Sesshoumaru." Kagome sat there staring at Kagura.

"You paid _Sesshoumaru_? As in, Inuyasha's brother?"

"Half-brother," Kagura corrected again. Kagome waved it off.

"So _Sesshoumaru _told on Inuyasha? That big rat," Kagome hissed.

"We didn't have to pay him much. I was ready to pay him much higher, but it was like he didn't care at all what happened to his sibling," Kagura said, studying a spot on her nail. "Scratch that. He _was _unconcerned about Inuyasha. He even seemed to be amused."

"Was he—"

"That's enough questions," Kagura cut in. "Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to be following Naraku to another meeting of his. Oh, and you can _try _to escape again, but the other men of the Shichinintai might not be so… gentlemanly compared to Bankotsu."

"Whatever," Kagome muttered.

Kagura left, a sly smile on her lips. As soon as she left the room, Kagome went upstairs. The running had tired her out, and she wanted a nap before trying to escape again. This damsel in distress business was hard work.

Kagome lied down on the bright bed, her eyes shutting as her head hit the pillow. She was asleep within minutes.

* * *

"Yeah… Uh-huh… So you don't know anything either?" Miroku cursed as he hung up the phone. Sango came over with a cup of coffee. 

"Anything yet?" Sango asked. Miroku shook his head.

"It's amazing, really. Naraku does business with so many people, and knows so many people, but so little know about _him_. He hides himself so well."

"I don't even know where to start. Myouga gave me his address book so I could call people in it, but the book is _endless_."

"You can't give up," Sango said fiercely as she began to massage his shoulders. He sighed, one hand coming up to cover one of hers.

"No, I can't. Otherwise, Inuyasha would kill me," Miroku said with a wry smile.

"Not before I kill you. Come on… There has to be _someone_ in this population that knows _something_."

"Yeah… There _should _be. Now, to find him." Miroku worked endlessly, dialing different numbers in Myouga's book and in his own book. He called people he trusted, and never mentioned why he was looking for Naraku. Inuyasha had said not to tell anyone, that Kagome's life was on the line.

As he dialed an infinite combination of numbers into his phone for the _n_th time, he worried his lip until he tasted blood. Kagome, a new friend, had quickly grown on him and Sango, and he would be damned if he let anything happen to his newfound friend.

* * *

Inuyasha paced. The emotional outburst with Kagome's mother had helped a bit, but it did not quell the growing urge to kill in him. If he didn't get Kagome back soon— 

There was a knock on the door. "Yeah?" he barked.

The door opened, and Ayame strolled in. "Uncle Inu?" she asked hesitantly as she closed the door behind her. The familiar face had him calming a bit. "Mrs. Higurashi let me in. How are you holding up?"

He gave a rueful laugh at her question. "How do you think I'm holding up?" he asked rhetorically.

"Not too good," Ayame admitted, moving closer to Inuyasha. "Uncle Inu, I brought some food for you. So you could eat."

Inuyasha shook his head quickly at the thought of food, and the bag she brandished. "No thanks. I'm going to throw up if I eat now," he said.

"You need to eat to keep your strength."

"I have enough. You know as well as I do that my demon blood lets me hold up a lot longer," Inuyasha murmured. Ayame sighed, giving up.

"So you can't call the cops?"

"No."

"Do you know if Kagome is okay?"

"She says she's…" his voice cracked. "She wants me to come and get her. But _dammit_, I don't know where she _is_! I'm stuck _here_," he said viciously, indicating the confines of the room with his hands, "until I have an inkling of where to go."

"Do you know anyone that would know where Naraku is?" Inuyasha turned to Ayame angrily at her question. Didn't she know that he had already considered the possibility? "Someone that called in on the show maybe? You never know what the dumbest people know," Ayame said quickly.

"No, I—" Inuyasha paused, then thought. He remembered Ryu, how he said Naraku had taken over his father's company. Did he know?

Fumbling, he dove for his cell phone on the desk. Putting in a few numbers, he dialed Miroku's number.

"This number is busy at—"

"Fuck!" Inuyasha viciously redialed the number.

"This number—"

Again. And again. And again. Inuyasha was going to strangle the monk when he was through with him!

"Inuyasha? Did you find something?" Miroku's voice finally came through. _Curse later. Kill later. Talk now,_ Inuyasha thought.

"Yeah. You remember Ryu? On the show? His father's company was taken over by Naraku?"

"… Yes."

"Find out his number, and call him. See if he might know anything about the whereabouts of Naraku, then _call me back_."

"I'm on it."

Inuyasha hung up, and slumped in the chair. Ayame came to him, took his cell phone and laid it on the desk. "You remembered someone?" Ayame asked.

"Yes," Inuyasha said. He felt so tired and drained, but he knew he would be unable to sleep or eat until he knew Kagome was safe in his arms. Ayame saw the dark circles under her uncle's eyes, and knew better than to suggest sleep.

"It'll all turn out okay, Uncle Inu," Ayame said, feeling like crying herself. Still, her uncle needed her. She needed to be strong, at least right now.

Inuyasha, a person who didn't believe in false hope, found himself clinging to her statement like a lifeline. It _was _a lifeline.

If he didn't grasp onto it, he would crumble away and be left with nothing. Not even a heart left to love.

* * *

It was Kagome's second attempt. She wore shorts and a tank top, although she didn't think it would be enough to keep the heat away. Hoisting her tote onto her shoulder, she walked out the front door as if going to the market. 

A hand went around her arm as soon as her feet hit the ground outside. She looked back, exasperated. "Couldn't you at least give me a head start?" she asked grumpily. It wasn't Bankotsu this time.

"Tsk tsk, dear. You should know better than that," a man said. Kagome _thought _it was a man. He looked like a man, but his pose suggested a more feminine… outlook.

"Well, Mr. ..."

"Jakoutsu."

"Well, Jakoutsu, you could at _least _have let me run to _that _tree." She pointed to a tree in the distance. Jakoutsu squinted, then grinned.

"Well, maybe next time, precious. Now, let's get you back inside. This heat really isn't good for the skin." Kagome went back inside reluctantly.

There was another man inside. He looked at her, and his impersonal gaze twisted to something Kagome wasn't sure she liked. He leered at her, and she decided that no, she didn't like it at all.

"This is Mukotsu," Jakoutsu introduced. "Mukotsu, this is the captive that Mr. Naraku has entrusted to us."

"Hm…" Mukotsu didn't seem all that interested in what Jakoutsu was saying. Jakoutsu didn't seem like he really cared.

"Well, Ms. Kagome. If you'll please return to your room…" Kagome turned and fled, not from Jakoutsu, but from the questionable Mukotsu. When she was inside the room, she grimaced. That man just creeped her out. He looked at her like she was something he could bite into.

Gross.

Kagome sat on the floor of the bedroom, frowning. What to do now? Naraku could at least have given her some reading material, but no… Naraku didn't give a rat's butt about her.

"This sucks," Kagome said to herself. Her question then was the question from before: What to do now?

* * *

Miroku waited while the phone rang on the other line. He felt the sweat run down his back, and Sango's comforting hand on his shoulder. Ryu was a tentative link, and most likely had no idea where Naraku was, nonetheless— 

"Hello?" A tired voice answered.

"This is Miroku. You know, from 102.5 FM?" Ryu sat up in bed, glancing at the clock next to him.

"Ah… Yeah… Why is the radio calling people so late… Or should I say, so early?" Ryu asked, yawning.

"Well, I'm not calling from the station. You know Hanyou, don't you?"

"Of course."

"Well, his girlfriend slash future wife has just been kidnapped by Naraku," Miroku said in a rush. Ryu's back straightened.

"What?"

"Yeah. So do you have any idea about his where he lives? We're very sure he took her there."

"No… I don't have a clue," Ryu said, his voice concerned. Miroku grit his teeth. "But there might be a clue in my father's old papers. I haven't looked in them since he died, but I'll give it a try. I'll call you back, if I do or don't find something significant."

"Okay, yeah… Thanks." Miroku hung up, gave a quick prayer that Ryu would find something. He was there only lead so far.

After calling more people for at least an hour, his phone finally rang with Ryu's number.

"Hello?" Miroku answered tensely.

"I… I think I might have found something," Ryu mumbled. Miroku didn't say anything, and only waited tensely. "I found a map, and something scheduled into my father's plans. It's in his plan book, and there's a spot circled on the mini-map inside. It's in Brazil."

Miroku sat back, digesting this information. " Brazil?"

"Yes." Ryu gave them the general place it was in, within a fifty mile radius. Miroku knew that it would be tough for Inuyasha to track Kagome down in such a wide area, but it would have to do. Miroku thanked Ryu profusely, and hung up. Now to call Inuyasha to tell him the good news.

* * *

Inuyasha waited tensely for the return of Miroku's call. He didn't understand that it was taking Miroku time to find out Ryu's number. He didn't care. He wanted an answer as soon as possible, and Miroku was supposed to get it for him as quickly as possible. 

"Dammit," Inuyasha cursed viciously. "Why isn't he calling back?"

"Calm down, Uncle Inu," Ayame said. If it had been anyone else, Inuyasha would have grabbed them by the neck and asked how the _fuck _he was supposed to calm down. "It'll take some time."

"Well, he shouldn't—" Inuyasha lunged for the phone when it started to ring.

"Talk to me," he snapped.

"Inuyasha!" Miroku said breathlessly. "I found out! Ryu didn't know, but he found some papers in his father's office, and—"

"Where?" Inuyasha asked sharply.

" Brazil. Amazon Rainforest. I'm coming with—"

"No. I'll go and bring her back myself. You stay here and make sure no one else knows and nothing else is going to happen. Have my back, Miroku," Inuyasha said. Miroku was silent for a moment.

"Okay," Miroku finally said. He understood Inuyasha's need to go alone.

"I'll find her. I'll call you for more details, so while I'm on the way there, make sure you find out all you can. I'll call you when I arrive." Inuyasha finally felt hope—_real _hope—burst inside of him. He was going to get Kagome back! "You stay here and support her family, all right?" Inuyasha told Ayame. Ayame nodded, following him as he went out of the room.

"I have a lead," he told Mrs. Higurashi. "I'll be back soon. Don't worry. I'll get her back."

"Listen here, boy—" Kagome's grandfather was rudely cut off by Inuyasha himself.

"I understand that you're mad Gramps, but I'm going to get her back _right now_. If you still have something to say to me when we come back, _then _you can say them. Not now." He rushed out without waiting for a reply, pushing in another series of numbers in his cell phone and dialing the number.

"Hello?" Myouga answered.

"Myouga," Inuyasha said hoarsely. "Hold off on the plan to give away the company. Stall Naraku, but make sure he doesn't find out. I think I found Kagome."

"Oh, did you now?" Myouga brightened. "I'll try to stall him as long as I can. Make sure you bring Kagome by safely, all right? Where is she?"

"Amazon Rainforest," Inuyasha said. "That's where I think she is." He got into his car and started the engine, wasting no time before peeling out.

"The Amazon Rainforest? Odd. Well, good… Uh… Er, Toutousai would like to speak with you."

"What? Okay, but tell him to make it quick," Inuyasha snapped impatiently.

"Come by over here," Toutousai demanded.

"No! That's wasting time!" Inuyasha shouted.

"I have something important to give you! It'll help you in getting Kagome back, I'm sure," Toutousai said.

"No. I have absolutely no time—"

"Listen to your elders for once, you stubborn pup!" Toutousai barked. "Now!" Inuyasha's emotions warred in him. He wanted to get to Kagome as fast as possible, but if what Toutousai had helped…

"All right!" Inuyasha shouted. "In the mean time, call the air lines for me, and book a ticket for me. I don't care who you have to oust."

"All right." Toutousai and Inuyasha both hung up simultaneously.

When Inuyasha arrived at the company building, he ran up the stairs, not bothering with the elevator. He also gave no concern to people he knocked over. He sped past a couple that were making out on the stairs as well.

When he got to Myouga's floor, he practically tore open the door and sped down the hallways into his office.

Toutousai was in the office as well, and he had a sword in his lap. Inuyasha growled.

"Please don't tell me you made me come all the way here for _that_." Inuyasha curled his lip at it disdainfully.

"Watch your mouth!" Surprisingly, Inuyasha found that Myouga had said this, and not Toutousai.

"This is a sword I forged long ago from your father's fang," Toutousai said calmly, handing Inuyasha the sword and scabbard.

"From Oyaji's fang?" Inuyasha asked in a murmur. He pulled the scabbard off, and gaped. "This is a piece of shit!"

"Just keep it next to you youngster! You might be surprised," Toutousai said. Inuyasha gave an angry scowl.

"Whatever. Give me your credit card so I can pick up my ticket." Wordlessly, Toutousai gave Inuyasha his card.

"Stupid chit," Toutousai murmured when Inuyasha ran from the office.

Instead of taking his car, Inuyasha went on foot. With all the traffic, a car would only take a longer time. He jumped nimbly from moving truck to moving truck, being a little more careful on the highway as he sped to the airport. It wasn't exactly legal, but at the moment, he didn't care.

His cell phone started to ring when he landed on top of a car gracefully. He heard the driver inside say, "What the—!" But he tuned it out.

"Hello?"

"Where does he live?" Sesshoumaru growled at him.

"What the fuck are you talking about?"

"Naraku. Where does he live?" Sesshoumaru asked again, controlling his voice.

"Why do _you _want to know?"

"He took something of mine."

"Yeah? What? The number of a bank account?" Sesshoumaru was silent a moment.

"Never mind. I can tell it's fruitless to try to talk to you," Sesshoumaru said before hanging up on Inuyasha. Inuyasha snorted unconcernedly, resuming his carhopping.

"Fucker. Why does _he _want to know where he is, anyway?" Inuyasha asked himself. Shrugging it off in his mind, he continued his trek to the airport.

When he arrived, he jumped off the top of the Greyhound bus. Other passengers seemed to be alarmed, and Inuyasha quickly dashed in. He retrieved his ticket, and ran as fast as he could to the luggage area. Since his sword was a weapon, he would have to send it through baggage claim. Taking care of that, he sped to his gate. He practically threw his ticket at the lady, and then walked in.

He took his seat, fighting not to be impatient as passengers continued to pour in. When the plane finally started to take off, Inuyasha had to bite his lip hard when he heard how long the flight was going to take.

_Just hold on a little longer, Kagome. I'll be there soon_, Inuyasha thought. As he looked out the window, he thought about when he found her. He would first spank her for going on that stupid walk, and then kiss her, and then take her away from there. He would fly them back home, whispering "I love you" over and over again to her, while he thought about the child they had made growing inside of her and the family they would make…

He tried to settle in for the long flight, his mouth set grimly as he thought he would _never _let her go after this.

* * *

"Don't you ever give up?" Suikotsu asked, smiling. Kagome liked this one the best out of the bunch. He seemed to be… _human_. She knew he cared about things, and didn't want to hurt anyone. At the moment, she was slung over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

"I try to be tenacious, to try to wear you guys down," Kagome muttered into his back. Suikotsu laughed.

"It won't work. There's seven of us, one of you," Suikotsu pointed out.

"Like I needed that reminder," Kagome said glumly. "What is someone like you doing with people like them?" Kagome asked, curious. Suikotsu frowned, although she didn't see it.

"That," Suikotsu said curtly, "is none of your business."

"Are you being blackmailed? If you are, then maybe we can escape together and—"

Suikotsu laughed again. "Kagome, you really are outrageous. Please, don't try to escape again. It's completely pointless, and it only takes away your energy. It's not healthy for the baby."

Kagome felt a surge of panic rush through her, leaving her thrashing on his shoulder, denying, yelling, screaming. Then, she collapsed into tears, hanging limply on his shoulder.

"Please, don't tell them," Kagome whispered. "How did you know?"

"I used to be a pediatrician. Before I died. And don't worry, I won't tell them." Kagome acknowledged his last statement before concentrating on the other things he said.

"Before you… died?" Kagome repeated, wiping away her tears.

"Yes. Naraku brought us back to life. Since he did, we are indebted to him."

"How did he manage to that? As far as I know, demon magic can't do that," Kagome said, her eyes wide as he finally deposited her onto her feet. He sat on the front step, and Kagome sat down beside him.

"Instead of a heart," Suikotsu murmured, placing his hand over the place on his chest, "we have a strand of hair. We each have one where our hearts should be."

"A strand of… hair?" Suikotsu nodded, giving Kagome a dark smile.

"Your hair."

Kagome stared at him, then shook her head slowly.

"Nuh-uh. Shut up," Kagome said, her eyes wide. "_My _hair?"

"Yes. Your hair. We each have a strand of _your _hair inside of us. When each one of us is close to you, we each feel more alive, more human." Suikotsu explained.

"So you're sitting there and telling me my _hair _has the ability to bring people back to life?" Kagome snorted, and stretched out a leg. "Pull this one, too. It's dying to be pulled after that one."

Suikotsu merely gave her a look that had her amusement dying and she was sighing.

"Just figures. After all the stuff that has been happening, why _not _be bestowed with magical powers. Not on _me_, no. _I'm _not bestowed with powers, but my _hair _is. Give me a break," Kagome muttered.

Kagome sighed, got up. "Time to go back inside. You brought me back just in time for lunch."

Suikotsu looked up at her with amusement. He got up as well, but then he tensed as he looked towards the sky. Kagome followed his gaze, and saw Kagura's feather.

Kagura landed gracefully, and Kagome was surprised to see a small child in Kagura's arms. "What is that?" Kagome blurted, echoing Suikotsu's thoughts.

"Insurance," Kagura said simply. She deposited the child in Kagome's arms. Kagome nearly dropped the girl because she was startled. She was looking down at the sleeping girl, but looked up as Suikotsu gently pushed her inside.

Suikotsu gently took the child into his own arms, and carried her up the stairs. "I guess she stays in your room as well," Suikotsu said, opening Kagome's door and depositing the sleeping girl on the bed.

"I guess so," Kagome mumbled. "Thanks." Suikotsu nodded, and left the room. Kagome shook the girl gently.

"Hm… Just a few more minutes, Jaken-sama…" Kagome continued to shake her. "Rin wants to sleep a little more," the girl mumbled. She slowly opened her eyes, and sat up when she saw Kagome.

"Who are you? Where is Rin?" Rin asked, and Kagome didn't see fright in the little girl's eyes, but rather curiosity.

"You've just been kidnapped. Just like me," Kagome said, sitting back. Rin frowned.

"Rin was taking a nap in bed. Why did you take me?"

"It wasn't me," Kagome said. "I was kidnapped, too."

"Oh. So who did it?"

"Naraku."

Rin nodded, her forehead wrinkling in thought. "The bad man. Sesshoumaru-sama always told me to stay away from the bad man."

"Sesshoumaru… Inuyasha's brother?" Kagome asked, surprised. Then she remembered Inuyasha mentioning Rin when they had gone to the dance to Sesshoumaru. This little girl was who Inuyasha was talking about?

"You know Uncle Inuyasha?" Rin asked, delighted. "He makes me laugh a lot. Sesshoumaru-sama says it's because Uncle Inuyasha is… is… idiotic?" Rin struggled over the last word. Kagome smiled.

"Well, don't mention that to your uncle."

"Okay," Rin said agreeably. "How do you know about Sesshoumaru-sama and Uncle Inuyasha?"

"I'm your uncle's girlfriend," Kagome said. Rin gave Kagome a sly smile.

"Have you _kissed _him?" Rin asked in a conspiratorial whisper. Kagome chuckled.

"Yes." Kagome gave a little sigh as she remembered Inuyasha's kisses.

"What about cooties? Sesshoumaru said that if Rin kisses a boy, her face will become really ugly because she will get a boy's cooties on her face."

"Oh, if it's the right boy, then you won't get any cooties," Kagome assured the girl. She tried to imagine Sesshoumaru calmly talking about cooties to the little girl, and chuckled again. From what she had seen at the dance, Sesshoumaru was like a rock wall. Taking care of a child like this suggested he had a hidden layer of protective tenderness somewhere inside of him.

"Rin will have to tell Sesshoumaru-sama that," Rin said thoughtfully. Kagome laughed. Abruptly, she wondered why Rin had been kidnapped. Kagura had said, "Insurance."

Then, it clicked. They wanted Rin so Sesshoumaru would cooperate. Dirty.

"Rin, where was Sesshoumaru when you were taken?"

"Sesshoumaru-sama told Rin he had somewhere to be, and that Rin should take a nap before he came back," Rin said. "He didn't tell Rin where."

"Hm…" Kagome pursed her lips in thought. This would put a large damper in her plans. If she was alone, she would risk trying to run away, but now she couldn't leave, not without the little girl. "Are you hungry?" Kagome asked, trying not to let her tension show.

"Rin feels a little hungry," the little girl admitted.

"All right. Come down to the kitchen with me," Kagome said, holding the little girl's hand and tugging her off the bed.

"What is there to eat?" Rin asked as they walked out of the room.

"I don't know. We'll see," Kagome said. They walked down the stairs and into the kitchen.

"Big house," Rin commented. Kagome nodded, and opened the refrigerator door. "Kagome, could Rin have a sandwich?"

"Sure," Kagome said, pulling out the items needed for a sandwich. She contemplated if she could carry Rin out of here. She probably could. The little girl probably didn't weigh much, and it wasn't as if Kagome was out of shape. "Do you want to get out of here?" Kagome asked, spreading mayonnaise on a slice of bread.

"No. It's comfortable here, and Rin likes being comfortable. Besides, Sesshoumaru-sama will come soon for Rin," Rin said.

"Don't you want to return to Sesshoumaru yourself?" Kagome asked. Rin gave her a stubborn look that reminded Kagome all too much of herself.

"No. Sesshoumaru-sama will come for Rin, and Rin is hungry right now."

Kagome wondered how a child had such blind faith in someone that was rumored to be as cold and ruthless as a knife blade.

At that moment, Kagura walked in. "I see that the child has put a damper in your plans. Well, you can try for yourself and leave her here. I don't _think _Naraku will do anything ot her," Kagura said calmly, having eavesdropped. Kagome stiffened. She knew Kagura spoke the truth, that she would have to stay here, and there was no way that she would leave the little girl behind.

"You want to leave Rin?" Rin asked Kagome, looking quizzically at the older woman. Kagome shook her head, smiling down at Rin.

"No. I won't leave Rin here all by herself." Rin nodded, satisfied that she wouldn't be alone.

"There's no way you can leave successfully. Sit back and relax," Kagura mumbled, so that ears outside the walls wouldn't be able to hear any of her words. "Inuyasha's already on his way, and Sesshoumaru is trying to find out where you are specifically."

"I thought you said that you were going to kill Inuyasha," Kagome said stiffly. Kagura shrugged.

"If Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru join forces, there's no doubt in my mind that they can kill Naraku and give me back my heart. There's no need to kill Inuyasha. In fact, this will be more for my benefit than yours," Kagura whispered.

"I'm sure he'll be happy to be in your service," Kagome said stiffly.

"Hm…" Kagura hummed in agreement.

"Don't worry, Kagome. The pretty lady says that Sesshoumaru-sama will save you and Rin," Rin said, grinning. Kagura seemed startled at being addressed as "the pretty lady". She made no comment about it, however.

"Good luck," Kagura said, leaving the kitchen. Kagome found herself grumbling under her breath as she watched Kagura leave. Was Inuyasha really on his way, or was Kagura luring Kagome into a trap of a false security? She wouldn't know with Kagura.

Kagome looked down on the counter, and saw a cell phone. Kagura's cell phone. She felt a grin start growing on her face. Now _this _is what she called lucky. Kagome dialed Inuyasha's number, and grew frustrated as it went straight to his voicemail. Next, she called her house.

"Kagome!" her mother cried out when she heard Kagome's voice.

"Mama," Kagome quickly cut in, "can you tell me what the number I'm calling from is?"

"It's a private number, sweetheart," Kagome's mother said after a moment or two. Kagome blew out a frustrated breath.

"Where's Inuyasha?"

"He's on his way there. He's gone to search the Amazon Rainforest," Kagome's mother said. Kagome gaped.

"He knows where I am?"

"No. He knows the Amazon Rainforest, but that forest can easily cover more than a few countries."

"Okay, Mama. Thanks." Kagome ended the call before her mother would start asking questions. She had to hurry. She had no time. Next, she turned to Rin.

"Rin, dear…" Rin looked up from her sandwich. "Can you tell me Sesshoumaru's number? His cell phone or home phone?"

Rin nodded. She rattled off the number that Sesshoumaru had made her memorize, and Kagome quickly punched in the numbers. She tensely waited while it rang.

"Hello." Sesshoumaru sounded the same, only more tense.

"Sesshoumaru, this is Kagome. Do you remember me?"

"My brother's current love interest," Sesshoumaru said. Kagome nodded.

"Yes. Good. Listen, Rin's right here, but we have no idea where we are. Is there anyway you can tell us?"

"How would I know?" Sesshoumaru asked mildly. Kagome grit her teeth.

"Can't you trace this number or something?"

"Unless it has a GPS tracker, no, I cannot. Cell phones are almost impossible to track," Sesshoumaru said. Kagome looked down at the phone, her eyes wildly searching. _There! _

"It has GPS!" Kagome shrieked. Sesshoumaru frowned at the phone.

"Good. Now, there should be a button…" he coached her through it, and she found herself looking at a map on the cell phone. Well, this _would _be handy, wouldn't it? Kagome told Sesshoumaru where she and Rin were.

"Are you going to come?" Kagome asked. The dial tone answered her. "How rude," she said, starting to dial Sango's number.

Sango's voice was wary when she answered. "Hello?"

"Sango! It's me!" Kagome said, grinning.

"Kagome!" Sango gripped the phone, and Miroku immediately came over. He was standing next to Sango, trying to listen. "Are you okay? Did he hurt you?"

"No, don't worry, I'm fine. Now listen. I'm going to tell you my location, and when Inuyasha calls, you have to tell him, okay?" She heard Sango's affirmative. "Inuyasha _is _going to call, right?"

"He said he would," Kagome heard Miroku say near the phone.

"Good…" Kagome told them of her location, and hung up. Now all she had to do was patiently wait. She put the cell phone back on the counter, the way it had been before she picked it up.

Patiently wait? She thought to herself. Shoot. She was practically vibrating with energy. She felt an urgent craving for ice cream.

She picked out the vanilla ice cream from the freezer, humming to herself. When Rin was done with her second sandwich, Kagome had a mouthful of cold ice cream, and she was finally happy, for once upon arriving at this hell hole. After Kagome gave Rin some ice cream as well, they headed back up.

"Rin, I think we're going to get away from here tomorrow, okay?" Kagome said to the small child. Rin grinned.

"Sesshoumaru-sama is going to be here tomorrow?" Rin asked. Kagome smiled down at Rin.

"I'm not too sure. I think he will be, though," Kagome said, remembering how Sesshoumaru had hung up on her as soon as she told him where she was.

"Sesshoumaru-sama is coming for Rin!" Rin sang happily, dancing on her tiptoes.

"Yes. Now, it's best that we get some rest before everything hits the fan…"

* * *

Inuyasha didn't think he could handle the tension. His muscles were screaming by now from being wound so tightly. He was tense, and the other passengers could feel it as well as they kept staring at him and shifting uneasily if he turned his gaze towards them. 

When other passengers settled in their seats to sleep, he sat upright still, too energized to sleep. He felt the empty spot in his heart, and he knew he would go mad if he didn't get to Kagome soon.

"Fuck," he muttered to himself. The flight attendant was baffled by him. She tried to get him to eat, to rest, to just relax, but the hanyou refused to even acknowledge the woman. The passenger sitting next to him was pressed against the other side of the chair, making sure he made no contact whatsoever with Inuyasha.

When they finally arrived in Brazil, Inuyasha leaped up, shoving through the line with no qualms to other people. When curses were thrown at him and flight attendants tried to soothe him, he snapped, "It's an emergency, dammit!"

With that, he stumbled onto solid ground, and made his way through the airport. When he got outside the airport, he pulled his cell phone out, and turned it on. He called Miroku.

"Did you find out anything?" Inuyasha asked as soon as Miroku answered the phone.

"Kagome called."

"What! Is she okay? What's wrong?" Inuyasha asked, fear gripping his heart and making him tremble.

"Nothing's wrong. In fact, I do believe she's a genius. She's pinpointed the exact place she's at. Get a map, and call me back. I'll tell you where she is." Miroku hung up. Relief and happiness made Inuyasha light-headed. He gave a small laugh. He should have figured Kagome would take care of herself.

He went back inside the airport, heading over to one of the numerous stands. He bought a map of Brazil, and went back outside to call Miroku back.

"Yeah, I got a map. From the airport. Yeah. She's where? South of what?" Inuyasha memorized the exact location Miroku had pointed out to him. It was still a wide area, but Inuyasha could cover that amount of ground in at least an hour. At least it wasn't the whole damn country he had to search anymore.

He took a cab as far as it could take him, but quickly found out that the cab could only take him as far as the exit to the highway with his two dollars.

"Dammit!" Inuyasha swore as he realized he had not brought nearly any cash with him. Deciding to take the chance of getting arrested in a foreign country, he started to jump and run. This would take longer, however, because he would get tired before he got to Kagome's area. Grimly holding onto his stubborn nature, he continued to jump from car to car, making his way closer and closer to Kagome.

* * *

Kagome decided to go for a walk outside, and knew that at least one member of the Shichinintai would be watching her progress around the house. She had seen Kagura leave earlier, and some of the others had gone with her. Kagome didn't bother counting as they left. Kagome didn't know how many times she had lapped the house, Kagome's walking slowed to a shuffle as she grew tired. Suddenly, she ran into something hard. "Oof."

Kagome looked up to see Mukotsu, leering at her.

"Tired?" Mukotsu asked. "I'll see to it personally that you get all the rest you need," Mukotsu said. His leer said otherwise. Kagome stiffened as he reached for her, and she stepped back out of reach. He grinned, this time his hand too fast to avoid as it shot out and grabbed hr upper arm.

"Let go!" Kagome screamed as she struggled against him as he started walking towards the door, dragging her with him.

Kagome knew she was in trouble. This was the one that was always watching her, as if he was waiting for something. Oh, she knew what he _wanted_. It was easy enough to tell with the way he licked his lips if she was near. She fell to her knees once while being dragged, and it became bloodied.

"No!" Her strangled cry came from her throat as she fought to dig her heels in.

"A little feisty, aren't we? Now, be quiet or I'll poison you." Mukotsu continued to literally drag her as he headed towards the front door.

"No! No no no no!" Kagome continued to cry. "Help me!" She yelled at the house. She felt panic rise to her throat when she didn't see anyone come out the door.

"Rin! Suikotsu! Oh, hell, Jakoutsu!" Kagome rattled off names, even Kagura's. Mukotsu grew tired of flailing, and hoisted her over his shoulder, clamping an arm around her legs to avoid getting kicked too hard.

"Give up," Mukotsu said with a smile. "They all went out to meet with Naraku somewhere. I volunteered to stay behind to watch you two. And the little girl tried to come out to meet you, and I gave her a bump on the head to help her sleep."

Kagome screamed. She screamed profanities for the first time in her life. "You son of a bitch! Let me go! Let me go! I won't do this! You can't force me!"

Mukotsu laughed. "We both know that I can. Now, stop struggling." Kagome opted for another tactic.

"Naraku will kill you! He wanted me for himself!"

Mukotsu shrugged his one free shoulder. "What should it matter to me? I'm dead already anyways. I have a strand of hair for a heart. I might as well enjoy my life while I have one."

Kagome gave a choked cry as he started up the stairs. "Please," she pleaded. "Don't do this."

Mukotsu gave a mirthless laugh, moving towards her.

Outside his door, he carefully set her down, leaning forward a bit to open the door. Kagome took that opportunity to promptly turn around and knee him in the groin.

Kagome ran, going to the next closest room: her room.

Then, she remembered that her room didn't have any windows. "Dammit!" she yelled, locking the door as she heart Mukotsu give a yell as he neared the door. She stepped back from it, staring at the door. It didn't break down, and she moved to the bed where she noticed Rin was laying. She quickly checked the girl's pulse, and saw the discolored lump on the little girl's forehead.

Shit. Shit. Triple shit. She had led the outraged Mukotsu straight to the unconscious Rin as well. Kagome tried to shake Rin awake. While trying to wake Rin, she stared at the door, making sure no sudden movements occurred. Or even slow ones.

Why wasn't Mukotsu breaking down the door down?

Kagome heard a hissing, an ominous noise, coming from the bottom crack of the door.

"You're too much trouble," she heard Mukotsu's muffled voice through the door. "I'll tell Naraku you were too much trouble, and that's why I killed you. If he kills me, too, it does not matter." Mukotsu gave an insane smile, although Kagome couldn't see it. "Kagome, you have mere minutes to live. You _and _the child. If you agree to my options, then I will stop my poisonous gas from spreading through the room."

Kagome swallowed, struggling with the nausea she felt. Tears coursed down her cheeks as she realized what she had to do. "Okay!" She yelled out. "I'll do what you want! Just keep Rin out of it!" _And my baby_, Kagome thought mournfully, more tears falling. Her hand went to her belly, still flat. Immediately, the hissing stopped.

"Get out of the room, then. Hold your breath when you get near the door. Leave the girl. She will be fine. There wasn't enough of the poison to kill her or have any adverse effects on her." Kagome took a deep breath, swiping away the tears at her cheeks. She would not cry. Not in front of him. This was her choice.

Holding her breath, she opened the door and came out. She didn't release her breath until Mukotsu led her away. Mukotsu led her to the Shichinintai's room. She paused at the door, not wanting to go through. Mukotsu wrapped her hair around his hand, marveling that one strand of the thick substance had given him life. He pulled her in after him, and he saw her facial expression. Frozen. Stoic. No expression whatsoever. He tore at her shirt, and she stood, unmoving. He wanted her to struggle, to turn enraged, sparking eyes toward him.

"Smile," he ordered. He saw the strained mouth twist and curve upwards. Still, it did not reach her dead eyes. He was reminded of how he had died, when he had died. That he was, essentially, still dead. It made him angry. "Smile!" he snarled, twisting her hair and seeing her grimace.

"I am," she whispered. He tore off her shirt, and her smile disappeared to leave her trying to cover herself.

"What's all the noise about?" A gravelly voice asked from inside the room. Mukotsu dragged Kagome inside and she yelped as Mukotsu yanked rather harshly on her hair.

"I brought something we could share," Mukotsu said with a smile.

Kagome saw a repulsive giant of a man unfold himself from a sofa, a movie on the TV. Of course, the movie was something that men watched and wanted to indulge in. They, currently, wanted to indulge in those activities with Kagome.

"Kyoukotsu, isn't she sweet?"

Kyoukotsu merely stared at Kagome for a short while, his lips twisting to reveal revolting fangs, and Kagome knew she would be seeing that image in her nightmares for a while.

Kyoukotsu, however, suddenly jerked his head up, his head trained towards the door.

"There is someone here," Kyoukotsu said.

Mukotsu snorted. "Nonsense. They all went to meet with Naraku."

"Brother… I tell you that there is someone here. I'm going to see who it is." Kyoukotsu was gone, and Kagome didn't know how such a big man was able to squeeze his bulk into the doorway.

Mukotsu sneered after Kyoukotsu. "I do not care if there is someone here. I mean to have what I want."

"Smile!" he commanded once more. He saw revulsion in her eyes before she tried to quirk her lips upwards again. Enraged, he used her hair to drag her back out the room, and back to her room.

"If you would rather die," he spat out, "then maybe you should!" He threw her into the room, and shut it.

Kagome cried out, going to the door and trying to open it. Mukotsu's brute strength wouldn't let the door budge. Kagome heard the hissing again, and she instantly retreated. She ran back to the bed, gathered Rin into her arms before grabbing the blanket on top of the bed, and wrapping it around them. She tucked the sides and corners under their bodies, and breathed heavily as the air under the blanket began to get thick. They would either die from poisonous air, or lack of air. Kagome felt the sweat to form on her body as she thought she smelled a sickeningly sweet smell beginning to seep through the cloth of the blanket.

_Is this how roaches feel when we spray them? _Kagome thought in a panic. She let out a sob as she curled herself around Rin's body. _My baby… Inuyasha… _She felt as if hours, days had gone by underneath that stifling blanket.

Kagome thought she heard a voice that wasn't Mukotsu's outside the door, and then a choked cry of someone dying before it was abruptly cut off. Her vision started to get edgy as she gasped for air. Even in unconsciousness, Rin was doing the same. She didn't notice the pink glow of her own body purifying the poisonous air that was seeping through.

_Too late. Too late… _Kagome thought as she felt herself slide towards the darkness. _Sorry I couldn't hold on longer, Inuyasha… _

Kagome was gone.

* * *

**wk: **Okay! End of chapter sixteen. What did you think? Other than the cliffhanger, was it okay? Haha, did you like the cliffhanger? (Evil grin) Sorry. Couldn't help myself this time either. I tried to include the Shichinintai as much as I could, and I hope they're not _too _out of character. Well, I'm sure they were, but... 

Anyways, I'm going to talk about the **_ReViEw oF rEvIeWs_** now. After I read a comment by one of my readers, I realized that I was spending too much time replying to comments. So, from now on, the **_ReViEw oF rEvIeWs_** is only going to include the reviews that need to be replied to. Sorry, guys, but I really need the time I spend writing reviews into actually updating. D Of course, not everyone has the problem of having _too many _reviews to reply to, so I thank you so much!

**_ReViEw oF rEvIeWs_**:

Viruses _are _horrible, **Drake220**. Thanks for your continuing support! And yes, Kagome's taste I thought would be dramatically different from Kikyou's. Meh.

Don't die yet, **raven wings xx**! And yes, I updated… I hope you liked it!

The word is spelled "patient", **MoonlightHanyou**. (Grins) Hope you read the new version before reading this chapter!

Sorry about that, **none**! We ended up having to do the same thing. Rebooted _everything_. Couldn't even save my writing 'cause of the damned virus. (Sighs) Oh well. It's fixed now, so that should be okay.

I think love should come over money… don't you agree, **Keiko89**? Ohhh, and I'm definitely going to cry on that episode too! Poor Inu… I'm here for you! Haha.

Hehe… I made Inuyasha very commanding in his usual gruff way… (Squeals) Don't you just love him, **Wake-Robin**?

Well, **Kiala**, it was called an author's note because… Well, it had an author's note. That chapter was a preview of chapter fifteen.

Oh NO, I would _never _quit the story while I have so many people urging me on. Even if I had to grit my teeth and have you all point guns at me, **inuzgirl07**! That would be like a kick in the nuts to some people.

Thanks, **flip-x-fantasy**!

Good luck with you fic, **blkaginu48**! Glad you liked my story! (Sighs) I'm gonna be in tears, too.

Hehe, thanks so much, **Anonymous miss**! I'm glad you like my story so much, and I thank you for telling me to take my time. I hope the cliffhanger hasn't killed you yet, because I had yet another one in _this _chapter to… to… well, to just utterly frustrate you. (Grins)

Hope you read some more, **Ladelle**!

Haha… It's funny, but most of my reviewers haven't threatened to kill me, but to kill themselves or die if I don't update soon. I just find that funny. Haha, thanks so much for your support, **esther tan**! I remember you've been there for my story since the beginning, and I really profusely thank you for it. Oh, and for your second review: And yeah… Kagome's grandfather is a bit more pigheaded in this fic. And _yes_, Sesshoumaru came to help! Well, he kind of _accidentally _helped… But you know. Oh well. And we'll see about your operation no. 2. (Grins evilly)

Yes… I would be having a meltdown if my boyfriend was kidnapped, too… _If _I had a boyfriend. (Wails and sobs) I live a pitiful life, and live vicariously through my fanfics. (Sighs) But, as always, I'm glad my readers (such as you, **TriGemini**) get much satisfaction from my fics. It gives me satisfaction in return.

Urgh. Those exams practically _murdered _me. But that's okay, because I still passed. (Sighs) When will the evil called school ever end, **Valese**?

Haha… Loved the "yay"s, **wh00t**!

Thanks for telling me not to update ASAP, **CrytalTwighlight**. I could weep on you for your consideration!

Thanks, **Kathy**! Your understanding and thoughtfulness makes me cry because I have realized that there _are _good reviewers out there in the world… (Grins)

HAHA. Love the "nuckin futs". I think I might actually use that in my daily activities now. And I am actually very grateful for the information you gave me about how people have me on their favorites lists… I could cry and weep from joy, **xXlovablekdXx**! I never expected when I wrote this fic that it would be so loved so widely. Thanks for being one of them!

Hope my update made you satisfied, **gothic inuyasha**!

I read other fanfics all day long, too** Lonely Angel of Serene**! It's just too much fun not to.

Hehe… Can't really blame the potty mouth though, **Mew**. He _has _just lost Kagome. Well, in the last chapter… _and _this chapter… Okay, so I'm a horrible person. And yes. That damn virus was part of a nasty conspiracy that was out for blood… My fic's blood. (Crosses eyes and attempts to shoot her computer)

Haha… purple like… the purple people eating monster? Funny image. And yes, it _was _coincidental… (Grins suspiciously) Haha, just kidding. My sister downloaded something off the net, and apparently, it had a nasty file-eating, computer-slow-down-ing virus. And yes. I had Inu cry several times in the last chapter, because I thought it was a bit fun. It's out of character, and I just wanted to show how much he actually loves Kagome. And that's "consolation". And yes! Damn technology to hell! I completely agree on that point, **Sunrider22**, although I _just _received a laptop, so while I'm still in the glow of _having _one, I can't insult it yet. (Grins) Hail waffles indeed!

I updated, **theamazingd**!

Don't die yet, **anime-lover-forever2007**! You can't die yet when the last chapter is almost out! And don't hate me… Or it might take me _loonnngeerrr _to update. (Grins evilly)

Thanks, **Liz**!

It's more and better (I think). Hope you liked it, **Inu-Baby18**!

Glad I got you hooked, because my bait was prime and the fishing line cost a bundle. It would be too late to try and return it… Anyways, now that I'm done with that stupidly idiotic pun, thanks **Kawaii Saki-chan**! And I'll try not to let exams and viruses get me down… (Sighs)

Thanks, **InuyashaHanyoujajuama**! And my story better kick ass. I designed it with combat boots! Yeah baby!

Haha, _thanks, _**Foxy**!

Thanks, **punkgoddess**, for both your support and patience!

Thanks, **Inuyashas' Plaything**! I can just _feel _my head inflating with all the compliments you gave me _and _the story. I'm so happy that you like it so much!

Haha, I love how your review was so quaint, **StrawberryCream**! And no worries. I think I can tell a flame from a good joshing. What's my name? whoknoez? Haha, someone made that joke to me, and it stuck. Maybe next time you'll remember it that way. (Grins)

Thanks, **NightMiko **for your understanding!

Thank you SO MUCH, **Angel**! And I'm not being sarcastic either. I _love _it when constructive criticism comes my way, because it only makes my writing _better_, not worse. I will try to take your advice on not getting too loose with my writing, but I can't seem to help it when the words are going from my brain, down the neck, across the shoulders, down my arms, and into my fingers. It all gets jumbled up, so I'm sorry if some of the story is like that. Still, I'm glad you still like my story enough to continue reading, and I would greatly appreciate it if you have more opinions to give me! Opinionated people make me happy. (Grins) And about your other reviews: Yes, that girl was actually incorporated into the fic because a reviewer wanted to be a part of the fic. I made up a name for her and voila! She was in as a hysterical caller. And I am _so glad _that you don't want to choke the life out of me anymore… I mean, you can't get the next chapter without me, right? (Grins nervously)

Thanks for loving my fic, **Midget a la minion**! It loves you right back, and Kanna _did _have something to do with the kidnapping, although Kagura was the one to physically do it. Anyways, I agree completely that Naraku needs a haircut. Makes him look greasy and just… dirty.

Thanks, **Inukouleg**! Hope you liked the update!

(Sighs) Don't worry about it, **WindScar8**. I kind of lost my temper with you. I'm sure you didn't mean it _that _offensively, and I only took it that way. I was having a bad day at the time, and I regret that I took it out on you. I sincerely apologize. Just be careful with your wording in the future, please.

I plan to keep writing, **kawaii-inuyasha-riku**! I'm glad you enjoy my writing so much!

Thanks so much for your understanding and support, **SadPoet**! Makes me feel all warm and special inside, and I love it that you're not trying to rush me… Thank you again!

Eh heh… (Sweatdrops) Sorry, **Ryoko Ao Midori**? I tried not to take as long…!

I'm trying, **mirokusbabigurl**! In the meanwhile, try to be patient, and the last chapter will be out soon… (Grins evilly)

Thanks so much for your compliments, **hellokittychic**! They've made my head grow bigger with ego, something I thank you for (Although some of my friends wouldn't agree—they say I have too big of a head). Wait for the next one!

Haha! Glad you liked my story so much, **anim3-for3v3r**! Your reaction to the story's end had me chuckling. It's like when you watch a series on TV, and you don't realize how quickly the time has passed by. (Grins)

Whew. I'm glad you appreciate my two conflicts in the story. When I first began the story, I wondered if I could incorporate those two conflicts into just one big conflict, but I think that according to my readers, I did it successfully. And there are no lazy drop offs because just like my readers, I really hate to end this one. It was a fun ride, and I'm just as reluctant to let the story go… But all things have an ending, neh? Hope you don't think I'm doing it now, **Beebo Kai Evans**, because no matter what, this fic is special to me, and I would never want my readers to think I somehow gave up on some of it.

There's MORE! Haha… (Winks at **InuKagluver91**)

It had lots of spelling and grammar mistakes, and most of them were typos… When I'm done with my fics, I'm going to go back and fix all the inconsistencies and boo-boos I made. Hopefully, that won't be _too _far off into the future. Thanks so much for your admiration, **InuYasha258**!

Haha! Aw, don't say that! I hope Mr. Suspense hasn't killed you yet, **Toya's Gurl**, although after this chapter I'm sure Mr. Suspense has stabbed you a couple more times… Hopefully, they weren't fatal blows because the next chapter's gonna be the last one. (Grins)

I have added Fluffy successfully! And I must say, I'm proud of the way I did it, too. Well, not too proud… Tell me your opinions, **MizzKyuubi**!

I updated, **yumi-chan**!

It loves you right back, **Empty Spirit**!

Haha… Here's a thank _you _in advance for the review for this chapter… That is, _if _you review, **Angel8818**. Hope you do! And I'm just glad you reviewed at all and took the time for it if you're in a hurry. (Smiles)

Eww… What a horrible way for a chapter to go… Eaten alive while you're watching. I sympathize with you, **Initial A**! Haha, and I took your advice to heart… I hurried and yet was patient at the same time…! And by the end of this chapter, you're probably locked in fetal position. Well, never fear, because the last chapter will be here!

Thanks so much, **MarcellaRyoko**! Glad I'm way up there with the good authors. _And _I review pretty regularly. I should be in the hearts of millions. Haha, just kidding! Hope you liked my update, and wait for the last chapter!

How'd you like my update, **inuyasha-girl-17**?

Haha… Wait… Psycho #2 is going to make Psycho #2 read it? …Well, other than being a bit _psychotic_… Haha, just kidding. And it had another awesome cliffy at the end of this chapter… Hope it won't kill off the Psycho #2 yet… Thanks for your review, **a pair of psycos**! It's managed to lift my day. Ohh, I just read your second review, with psyco #1! I… still kind of don't understand, but that's okay! Glad you both liked it!

Glad you liked it, **Caitriona695**! And I will definitely put more Ayame and Kouga into the last chapter. No worries! I'm either going to have one more chapter, or two. We'll see…

Thanks, **Wolf Blossom**! And… er… haha, the 7th level of hell sounds like fun… eh heh heh…

Normally, I wouldn't have Inuyasha cry so often or so openly, but I figured it would be fun to make him OOC. Hehe. And good luck with the fanfics, **kayzer**! I'm sure you'll do fine! I didn't think I was going to do good, and look at this fic! 790 reviews and nominated for best AU fic in the Inuyasha fanfiction guild. I'd say that's pretty damn impressive, if I do say so myself. (smiles smugly and gets shot) …anyways, wait for the next chapter!

She wasn't just letting Kagome go, **ChibiKenshin6490**. She just didn't want to get her hands dirty. She sent Bankotsu and his little gang to get her. But yes, Kagura wants her freedom very badly, but values her life. We'll see what happens to her in the next chapter or two. (winks)

Haha… Yeah, my review response section is pretty big… It actually takes me a couple days to write everything down… Well, **Drake Clawfang**, I think I'm going to shorten the **_ReViEw oF rEvIeWs_** after this story, because it _does _take up a lot of time.

Me no like Naraku neither, **iris dreamer**!

It _did _come easier to me, **Inuyasha's Dark Angel**! And yes, I have a new appreciation for the other authors out there. (Sighs) It's so hard sometimes, but I wouldn't do it if I didn't enjoy it. (Grins)

Don't fall off the chair, **bloomz-baby**!

Well, I _thought _this chapter was going to be the last, **InuyashaMaster**, but things took a turn while I was writing it… (Grimaces) So, we're looking at one or two chapters more. Either way, it'll be over soon, I promise!

Thanks so much for understanding, **Aryante**! And of course, dahling, I'll _have _to update soon. Would you care for some tea and crumpets while we wait?

Oh man! I want an Inuyasha plushie! Damn you, **time traveling b1tch**! And yes… Naraku _does _have a tendency to be predictable and yet remain mysterious…

Yes, Inuyasha was very close, wasn't he? And I thought that was always Kagura's attitude in the show. Why get your hands dirty if you just have to wash them for supper? Hehe. I hope you're not dead yet, **AlleyWings**, because we're not done yet!

I try not to make things too dark and angsty in this fic, **Inuyasha-Is-My-Boyfriend**. Makes it too sad. Thanks for reading, and I hope you're there for the last one!

Ohhh, no. I don't think I could handle all of the readers that would kill me… (Sweatdrops) Besides, I don't think I would be that cruel, **Librachic**. At least, I hope not.

I pulled a chapter out of my hat, **Rubius**, _and _a rabbit. What do you think of _that_! Haha.

Tuna, **tvsweetie**, is the essence of life. Maybe I just say that because tuna was the only thing my mom ate while _she _was pregnant with my me and my sister. Hehe.

Thanks, and I'll try, **alejandra**!

How do you think the baby should look, **Nauriell**? And there'll be plenty for Naraku as far as I'm concerned… Just maybe not now… (Evil laughter) You'll have to wait and see!

Thanks, **MizticalDragon Nsi**! Thanks so much for your support so far! Can you believe I'm only going to write a chapter or two more? (Gasps) It's almost unthinkable.

Yeah, you're only allowed to review once per chapter. A stupid rule, I say! Haha, thanks for the consideration in reviewing anyway, **flip-x-fantasy**! Haha, and I love how you put it. Yes, coming from Naraku, it's definitely… not that surprising. And we'll see about the showdown of ages… (grins evilly)

Hehe, sorry, **SaiyoutheLover**! And we'll see about Naraku dying a gruesome death. Hehe, you'll just have to wait for it, because you're right… I _am _evil. Mwahaha!

WHOOH! Oreos! Oh, now this is prime bribing, **Commodore Fluffy**! …I love it. Keep it up. (Grins)

Hope I didn't take too long in updating, **LunarInuYasha**! And yes, Kouga is still the stuffy, overly arrogant character he is in the show, but I think I'm going to make him mellow out in my sequel. Yes, you heard me! There _will _be a sequel!

Well, I'm glad you took the time to review now, **MelonCoke**! And yes, I definitely know that there are a _lot _of better writers than me, but the good thing is, I have something to work for and a standard to catch up on! Don't you just _love _it? And my knowledge of Inuyasha isn't _that _good, believe it or not. Just improvising as I go along. Hehe. Good luck with your fics, and thank you again for taking the time to read my story and review!

Wow. I read all of your reviews, **InbredSuzy**, and I must thank you profusely for all of your compliments. I'm glad you found me too! Haha. And of course, I am glad that you enjoyed my fic so thoroughly. Good luck with all of your fics as well, and I hope you continue to read this story. (Grins)

Hehe. Yes, viruses are nasty things. Thanks for waiting, **Laura-chan**! And good luck with your works of fiction! And no… I don't think I could stomach making Kagome lose the baby. That would kill me, as well as her. Well, at least in this fic… (Grins)

Thanks, and I hope I updated soon enough, **SesshoumaruGal**!

Bankotsu made a brief appearance, and I've already decided and planned that the rest of the Schiintoiajlaksjda (However the hell you spell that… I can _never _get it right! Schichintai? Something like that. I think it's in this chapter somewhere) will be in the sequel. And yes… the mini-army… OF DOOM! Hope you liked it, **Fushigi Aoi Tenshi**. Don't cry on this chapter! It'll end relatively well, I promise!

Oh dear… I hope I updated soon enough, **kool-kcc**! I tried to update as soon as I could to avoid the staking… (Crosses eyes in fear)

The greatness will continue… FOREVER! Haha. Hope you didn't wait too long for the update, **Julie.O**.

I _love _you, **nataku245**! The inconsistencies created in my chapters and in my stories were formed due to lack of brain cells on my part. If you find anything else confusing, please tell me! And I think I fixed some of the errors you mentioned. I _will _fix the rest of the errors when I sweep through the story and revise it later. Thanks again, and I apologize I made you so hopelessly confused… I kind of made myself confused as well. (Sighs)

Glad you like the dialogue between Kagura and Kagome. I always said kidnapees need a healthy dose of sarcasm… Unless they'll get their tongues cut out for it. (Winces) Thanks for your review, **AngelOfDiamonds**!

Is that physically possible, **gopher-guts7**? I don't think so… Hehe. Hope I updated soon enough for ya!

… omg, **redrizen2hell**…?

I'm sorry… What was the interesting revelation about Naraku, **Newbie GK**? Hehe… I'm afraid I don't know my own story as well as my readers do…

Thanks, **InuKag Fan**! This story loves you right back, and thanks for your review!

(Sighs) I updated as soon as possible, but I don't think it was soon enough for some people… for most people. Sorry I took so long, **theladyofthenorth**!

I don't have _that _much writing talent, although I am very thankful to you and many other readers who continuously tell me so, and have me slowly believing it, **inukagobsession**! And I would take the award and run, in case the better fanfiction writers out there hunt me down for it, as I'm sure they would.

Thanks, **Yuri**! And yes, I find now that so many people are reviewing my story, the **_ReViEw oF rEvIeWs_** takes up a lot of time… sometimes too much time. So after this story, the sequel and whatever story I write after, will only have necessary reviews. Thanks so much for your consideration! And, of course, your wonderful many compliments that you bestowed on me. (Smiles)

I'm all about the dot dot dot, baby! When I'm upset, I'm not dot dot dot at all though. I talk a mile a minute, **Mizz Moo**! And I'm still so grateful to you for asking me about the chloroform… and yeah… I _have _been taking an absurd amount of time in updating. Well, you know. Gotta brainstorm and junk. And lord knows I'm not all secret agenty. If I was… Well, let's say that I won't be alive for long. And don't you worry! You can _never _talk too much! Well, according to my mother, I can… but we won't talk about that. Love your cow!

I'm sorry… It's been so long… Why is the big day October 29th, **shaid**? Were you getting MARRIED? I don't remember… (Frowns in consternation and bashes self in the head)

Souta shouldn't be so hyper, but maybe I was thinking of my own sister when I was writing his character. Hm… I don't really know. Thanks for your review, **kawiyuzumichan**!

I think the ending of this chapter and the last chapter needs a lot of work, and I might change it later when I have the time, actually. I'm glad you enjoyed it though, and I hope you continue to enjoy it to the next—the very last—chapter. Of course, I'm going to have a sequel to this story, too, so maybe your enjoyment will continue, eh, **The Forgotten Child**?

I can't get over the amount of reviews either, **InbredSuzy**! And I'm delighted to know that you think I deserve them. And I _do _apologize for taking too long in updating. I hope your laptop isn't permanently attached to your hip. Glad to make your day!

No… _you _rock, **Kyome Takashi**!

Thanks, **ladylatina**! Sorry it took me so long to update… I'll try to put up the last chapter quicker! I promise!

Remember, **Mizo Sakura**… Curiosity killed the cat! And I suppose I could tell you one little detail… I'm going to have a sequel to the story, so don't get your hopes _too _up for a fairy tale ending, although it'll be pretty close to one. And you nearly made my heart stop when you said you thought the last chapter was horrible… Glad to also see that you enjoy my story so much. I'll have to go over it and fix it, of course, once I get the last chapter out. (Grins)

Thanks, **crazySUICIDALpsycoBITCH**! I like your name, by the way.

Thanks so much, **kAekO-x3**! Your consideration is much appreciated. I apologize for taking so long in updating anyway. (Sighs) Life was a-beckoning.

Haha… Being a woman myself, I thought men couldn't really understand a female's taste in style. Of course, I can't even understand _some _women's taste in style sometimes. And we'll see about the entry & exit hole, **NefCanuck**. (Grins)

I like the thought of someone kissing their fingertips for me, **Midoriko-sama**. How wonderful. Like an Italian chef that made an exquisite masterpiece. And I considered your idea of Inuyasha using the media as a weapon so much that I nearly changed the entire chapter after I had written it. But I figured Inuyasha wouldn't try it. Too risky. Oooohhhh… but the idea is still there, nagging away at the back of my brain, so I might change it again… We'll see.

Hope you're not too worried now, **Kasha-TheInuFreak2**! Don't worry. I'm not dead. Just lazy. (Grunts) Nah, I've been busy with personal things lately. Not to mention my computer has been just a little screwy after the virus. Hope you're still there!

Hope you're _still _alive and kicking, because we have only one more chapter to go, **angel-tears-16**! Ew… I remember having braces… It was like living in hell. But don't you worry! They'll be off in no time. Maybe you'll get fond of them, although I never did.

Thanks for checking up on the story, **Lauren**! Hope you're not disappointed by this update, and I hope you're still reading it!

Sorry I didn't update sooner, **jenna**! And yes, Kagome _is _a strong woman. I admired that in her in the show, and I'm trying to maintain it in the fic. (Smiles)

I wish I _could _update weekly, if only for the readers, **sleep walking chicken and HAP**, but the silly thing is, I actually have what some call a life. Who would have thunk it? (Groans) A job, personal obligations, other obligations… It's been hell for the past few weeks, but one particular roller coaster is over, and I will try to write while I'm getting strapped in for the next one.

I loved all the exclamation points, **KoyomiMizuhara04**! I'm so glad you like my story! And I love sarcasm! And I'm so glad you think this is really the best fanfic you've read! Makes my head real big, I can tell ya! And you probably _could _write like me, and better! Haha, I'm not making fun of you, or anything. I just love exclamation points too, and I wanted to try a whole paragraph with just exclamation points, like you did. I hope you liked my new update, and I also hope I'll see you for the next—the last—chapter.

I love that ring, but there's another ring that I thought was prettier… I'm gonna get my future hubby to by it for me… _or else_. Haha. Glad you liked the update, **Gittelbug**, and I hope you liked this one, too.

Thanks so much, **lovablekittymew**! But no… Naraku won't be getting his ass kicked yet. We'll see soon… Very very soon… (Cackles evilly)

Thanks, **InuPrincess21**! I'm so flattered that you think my fic is so good and original, compared to many others out there! My other stories aren't too good, though, since my writing style has fluctuated and changed greatly. (Sighs) I'm so glad I was able to tweak my writing on this site. It's helped me out a lot. And my story will be finished very soon… Just one more chapter…

Nahh... I don't think that's two words... I think it's just one long one, with a hyphen in between...Okay, whatever. Sorry you had to wait so long for this chapter, too, **Miyumi-Chan**!

Thanks, **skitzoid**! And don't worry... I'm sorry it took so long for me to update! And my life _was _hectic for a little while. I went out of state for a little while, too, which accounts for some of the missing chunk of time. And thank you for being so understanding. It's nice to know no one is really pressuring me to get out a chapter. And I'll try to keep it up!

Haha... Thanks, **binkytingson**! And yes, oil is a bit smelly... unless it's one of those scented ones.

Thanks, **KatanaFoX**! Glad you think this story is good! And I hope that you really didn't die from suspense... That would be a bit disappointing. Besides, if you died, you won't be able to read the LAST CHAPTER!

I truly _loved _your comment, **ArtemisMoon**, because you rarely find someone truthful and honest to come out and tell you, "Hey, this is wrong." And although you didn't really _say _anything was wrong, I do agree that the reviews responses is a bit long... It takes me nearly a week to write all of them down. So I am really taking your opinion to heart, and I _will _be shortening the **_ReViEw oF rEvIeWs_**. More story time, and less of me babbling on about how wonderful my readers are. Haha!

(Blinks) Wow. In one sitting? Really, **White-flame-dancer**? That's impressive. I tried to read my own story and I got bored. Doesn't say too much for my own story, does it? (Sighs)

Don't worry, **The Only Way Out**. I'm a loser too. We can be losers together! And thanks for thinking the story idea is going smoothly! (Grins)

I'm glad you risked trouble for me, **Suaru**! And I'm so glad you think this is one of the best! How really uplifting and honoring! And yes... Sanity is such a pain in the ass. Who needs it?

Thanks, **Rinelwin**! I'm glad you think my story is so original. (Grins)

I am incredibly sorry for the long wait, **foxgem**. I tried to update as soon as possible, but I had a problem with the chapter and I had to rewrite it. Haha... Again, sorry to keep you waiting so long, and I hope you liked this chapter!

So sorry I took so long to update, **Initial A**! I meant to update sooner, but... Well, you know that things get in the way. And I really am honored that you begged me to udpate, since it was your first time in two years. I feel really honored about that, no matter how foolish it sounds. And again, I'm happy to know this is your favorite AU story! If you continue to wait a little longer, I'll try to have the last chapter out before July.

Haha! I had to have some kind of evildoer in here, **fluffy's girl**! If it was all about Inuyasha and Kagome, it would have been a little more boring. Had to add a twist, you know?

Glad you think it has its own spin, **EmChi**! And it will be declared finished in one more chapter... Just one more to go...

Haha, glad you love my story, **iloveinuyashaandsailormoon**! And I'm sorry it took me so long to update!

Sorry it took me so long to update, **shelly**! I tried to update sooner, I really did!

Hm... We'll think about the ultimate battle thing... Personally, I would like Inuyasha to rip out Naraku's guts, **wolf of raven**, but I'm not too sure what I'm going to do... We'll see in the _LAST CHAPTER_, won't we? Mwahaha!

I know, right? I still can't get over the reviews... I've hit the **800 **review marker! Incredible. When I first started the story, I didn't know I would be getting that much, **InuHanyouMiko**! And I'm glad you'll continue reading!

Your welcome, **Inu-KagomeFan**! And sorry I took so long to update!

Yeah... I've been slacking off on reading over it, **Fujigawa**. I'll try harder to look over my stuff, but no guarantees! I'll just have to fix it when I look over the story... (Sighs)

Um... I e-mailed you, **Melannie**, but I never got a reply. And I'm sorry it took me so long to update!

Haha... What a wonderful way to put it! "Don't whore off". I absolutely loved your phrasing, **Daddy's Pixie**! And that Mr. Right is as elusive as a comet shower. They only come like... every millenia or so. (Sighs) Where the hell is Mr. Freaking Right when you need him? And don't worry about the review being short. I'm just glad you took the time at all to review when you're in a sour mood. Lord knows I'm not exactly pink and pretty when I'm in a bad mood.

Sorry it took so long to update, **InuyashasChic612**!

Wow! I'm so happy to see that this was the first time you reviewed, **Kiwi-Stardust**! Makes me feel all warm and tingly inside! I'm glad that you liked my story so much, but there's only one more chapter I have to write... Oh, and there's going to be a sequel!

Wow! **evilinupunk** is actually **none**! Great! Awesome! Sorry it took me so freaking long to update! I'll try to be faster next time! I'm going to try to post up my last chapter in July, okay?

Sorry to keep you waiting, **yashanfluffy**. I'll try to have the last chapter out before July!

I'm glad to see it's still up and running too, **Margaret Joan Reynolds**! And I don't know if I'm back in fine form, but at least I'm there, right? Right? Well, anyways, sorry it took so long to update, and I'll try to have the last chapter out before July.

* * *

**wk: **Whoo! Okay. (Blows out a big breath) That was exhausting. I think half of this chapter was for **_ReViEw oF rEvIeWs_**. So, unfortunately, I am going to begin to cut them short. So if you find yourself excluded, it's because your review didn't really _need _a response, you know? I hope you all understand, but my fingers ache just from the review responses. 

Still... **_I HIT THE 800 MARK_**, and I have all of you guys to thank... All the mushy stuff will come later, though, since the last chapter will be coming up soon. I'll try to have it up before July hits, okay?

Read and Review! Hope you enjoyed it!

P.S. Sorry for the cliffie, guys.


	17. Hanging

**Disclaimer**: I disclaim this story. You all know what that means.

**wk**: This is it... the _last chapter_! (Squeals and faints) Okay, as you all may know, I'm going to write a sequel for this story, so all is not over yet! Do not worry your pretty little heads about it. Now, since I left you all with such an evil cliffhanger last time, I'll shut up and let you read the story.

**Chapter Seventeen (The Last Chapter)  
Hanging**

Sesshoumaru calmly entered the room, using his claws to tear a hole through the wall. The poisonous gases were swept out to be replaced by hot, muggy air of the rainforest.

Sesshoumaru looked on the bed. There was no Rin, and yet Mukotsu had said that she was in here. Sesshoumaru had taken his private jet here, knowing it would take less time. Sesshoumaru's eyes flicked to a bundle next to the bed. Still, he had encountered his half-brother outside, fighting a mountain of a man. He had become even larger as they had begun to fight. Using only his claws, it looked like his dear half-brother was having quite the tough time.

It did not matter. He had what he came for now, Sesshoumaru thought as he eyed a bundle next to the bed.

Sesshoumaru walked over, lifting the blanket off two bodies. There was a young woman, and his Rin. He remembered seeing the woman—Kagome—at the pointless ball Myouga had set up. "Rin."

Rin did not stir, but he could tell she was breathing, as was the woman on top of her. They were both unconscious. "Rin."

"Sesshoumaru-sama!" A nasal voice called to him. "Sesshoumaru-sama! Is it safe to come inside?"

"Rin is in here. Make sure you take care of her and her companion," Sesshoumaru said, walking out and carefully stepping over the body.

Sesshoumaru decided that Naraku would die for even thinking of blackmailing him. Not that it would have worked, not with a _human _girl. Sesshoumaru went down to what looked like an office, and settled himself into the leather chair to wait for Naraku, or possibly, his thick-headed brother. With a cold look in his eye, he wondered which was actually worse for him.

Inuyasha was panting like a dog and for good reason had taken his shirt off. God, he felt like stripping naked and it still wouldn't help quell the heat. This humongous bastard was strong, and was quite stubborn. When he had caught the slightest whiff of Kagome's scent, he leaped the rest of the way here, and was now in front of a large house, fighting with some stupid, large half-wit that wouldn't tell him where Naraku was. Sesshoumaru, the bastard, had arrived mere minutes after in a private plane he had landed himself in the large clearing around the house, and had used the distraction of Inuyasha to slip into the house without getting attacked by Kyoukotsu.

_Sneaky bastard_! Inuyasha thought, avoiding a hand swipe of the large Kyoukotsu.

"Give it up," Kyoukotsu said, another hand swipe missing Inuyasha.

"I should say that to you!" Inuyasha flexed his claw as he leaped into the air. "Sankontessou!" Mr. Mountain received many cuts, but he didn't seem to feel them as he barreled into Inuyasha, his fangs revealed as he smiled cruelly at Inuyasha's yelp as he went rolling.

Panting, Inuyasha sprang to his feet, and grit his teeth. "Dammit, what the hell am I supposed to do?" Inuyasha drew his claws back, felt something against his hip, and remembered the sword that Myouga and Toutousai had made him bring. He tried to pull it form its scabbard, but it would not be removed. Growling, he struggled with it, and stopped when he heard Kyoukotsu's taunting laughter.

"Puppy can't draw his little knife? Is he that weak?" Kyoukotsu didn't wait for an answer, and ran towards Inuyasha again, a claw outstretched with deadly intention. Inuyasha held the sword up, using it to take most of the impact, but something unexpected happened.

The sword glowed, and a barrier was suddenly formed. Kyoukotsu screamed as his hand met painful energy, and he was tumbled back onto his behind. His hand was smoking and irreparably damaged. Inuyasha, with a growl, retaliated.

"Sankontessou!" This time, Kyoukotsu disappeared with a scream. Inuyasha watched distastefully as chunks of flesh dissipated, and a large skeleton was left. Inuyasha didn't care. He ran into the house.

"Sesshoumaru!" he yelled, knowing that Sesshoumaru had most likely found Kagome by now. What the _hell _was Sesshoumaru doing here, looking for Kagome anyway?

Inuyasha heard some stumbling upstairs, and looked up. A green face peered down to him from above.

"Oh, it's only you. Vile half-breed," Jaken said as he wobbled back inside the room.

"Shut it, you fucked up shit. Where's Kagome?" he snarled, opting to jump up the stairs. He paused when he saw the dead man in front of the room. "And where's Sesshoumaru?"

"Are you speaking of this young woman?" Jaken asked, ignoring his second question and frowning at the older human girl. Inuyasha came inside the room, and a strangled yell ripped from his throat. He quickly went over, falling to his knees beside Kagome. He didn't dare lift her, in case that might make whatever worse.

His fingers trailed over her skin, and he felt like gathering her in his arms and crushing her in his embrace if only to absorb her body into his. Instead, he turned to Jaken with a horrifying snarl.

"What the hell happened to her?"

"Well, from her state of undress, I can intelligently deduce that she was nearly raped, had not Sesshoumaru-sama come to the rescue." Jaken said this with pride, his chest swelling out on Sesshoumaru's behalf.

Inuyasha grabbed the little green demon by the front of his robes. "You better tell me where the fuck Sesshoumaru is right now," Inuyasha growled out.

"You are not my master!" Jaken choked out.

"Jaken," a calm voice said from the doorway. Inuyasha turned to see Sesshoumaru's cool glare. Inuyasha dropped Jaken. The demon choked and hacked on the floor before lightly coughing and giving Inuyasha a dirty look.

"You should have left him for me to kill," Inuyasha said coldly, his eyes flicking to the body behind Sesshoumaru's feet.

"Well, that would have taken too long, now wouldn't it? He was trying to kill your mate. And he would have succeeded if I had let him live." _Damn him, _Inuyasha thought. _The bastard sounds like he's amused!_

"How did you get here so fast?" Inuyasha bit out.

"I do believe private airlines are _so _much better than the planes you have to endure," Sesshoumaru said mildly. "Where is Naraku?"

"Oh, so the almighty Sesshoumaru _doesn't _know everything," Inuyasha mocked. Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed fractionally. He turned.

"Come Jaken. Bring Rin. It seems Inuyasha does not know. We will have to go back."

"He took Rin? What for?" Inuyasha asked, eyeing the small toad like creature struggle with the little girl's weight. Sesshoumaru did not answer. "Why not wait until Naraku comes back?" Sesshoumaru turned back to Inuyasha.

"Not a good idea," Sesshoumaru pointed out, although he had been doing the same thing before Inuyasha arrived. "This is his territory. Besides," Sesshoumaru said, his eyes almost imperceptibly flicking to Rin, "there are some circumstances that won't make it a fair fight. And, of course, he won't be coming back if he's smart. He's not one to leave the care of his bargaining chips to the care of dead men. He will be watching the place, and he would have seen everything that has transpired so far. No, he will not come back to this place unless he wants to be arrested. Come Jaken." Sesshoumaru turned around and left.

"Arrested? But we can't really _prove _he did anything," Inuyasha said with a rare insight of logic.

"Stupid little hanyou," Jaken panted from the floor. "Do you not smell the reek of blood in this place? If this place was searched, no doubt they would find many illegal activities being done. There is both demon and human blood here." Jaken awkwardly carried Rin carefully down the stairs

Inuyasha took a long, searching sniff, and frowned. What Jaken said was true, but he wasn't too worried about that now. He was worried about getting Kagome out of there,

"Damn bastard," he muttered, but his attention altered when he heard Kagome's low moan. He pulled her up to a sitting position, letting her rest on him.

"I'm right here," he murmured to her, pressing a kiss to her temple. She groaned, and her eyes started to open.

The first thing she saw was Inuyasha's amber eyes staring down at her concernedly. "Inuyasha?" she called uncertainly. "Am I dead?"

Inuyasha pulled her into a relieved embrace, stroking her hair and noting how limp she was against him. "No," he choked out. "You're not dead."

"Oh, good. I was hoping I could have this baby with you. Love you," Kagome said tiredly, her hand gesturing towards her stomach. Inuyasha stilled, and his hand went to her belly as his heart swelled with emotion.

"Yeah. We're gonna have a baby. I love you, too. Come on. Let's get you to a doctor. I'll get you out of here."

"Mm… Okay… Sorry, Inuyasha, but do you mind carrying me?" Before he could answer, she slipped back under. He lifted her and jumped out the gigantic hole Sesshoumaru had made. He knew why Sesshoumaru had made it; he could still smell some of the lingering poison in the air. He was careful not to tighten his claws while he held Kagome.

He walked around the house to the front lawn, and was astonished to see the small plane taking off. Sesshoumaru—who Inuyasha was sure had been the one to pilot the plane—was leaving without them. Damn bastard!

"Sesshoumaru!" he yelled, but quieted when Kagome shifted in his arms. "Damn fucking piece of a shitty heifer," Inuyasha spat quietly. "I'll kill him when I get my hands on him!"

He started the long trek back in the direction he came from. He might have to stop for the night, but even during the night he would try to continue to keep moving. Afraid Kagome would hit her legs or her head while he was carrying her bridal style, he maneuvered her to his back, so that he was piggybacking her. Finding that this way was a lot easier, he ran.

It took him a longer time to get back, but it was because he was not moving at a breakneck speed, and he had another person to worry about. Even while running, however, he was grinning. He finally had her back. He finally had her back in his arms. Or on his back. Whatever.

Once he arrived at any sign of civilization, he would get out his phone to inform everyone that Kagome was okay. In the meanwhile, he would just be happy that Kagome was back.

"Well, I guess you didn't have to use your father's fang after all." The appearance of another voice nearly made Inuyasha trip and send him and Kagome headlong into the trunk of a tree.

"Myouga!" Inuyasha yelled, halting to a stop. Myouga coughed from his shoulder, where he had been sucking blood.

"Yes. I thought I would come along to try to help you with the sword. I'm glad you didn't have to use its power."

Inuyasha snorted. "Oh, yes. The rusty old sword's powers would have helped me to swat _you_. It wouldn't even come out of the scabbard while I was fighting," Inuyasha said sourly.

"Don't take the sword lightly, Inuyasha! It's a great legacy that your father—"

"Blah blah blah. Shut up or you're hopping your way back to Mexico City."

"We're in Brazil."

"Whatever." Inuyasha started to run again.

"You will have to return it to Toutousai—"

"I will! I don't want the piece of shit anyway! Now shut it!"

Thoughts of Naraku and how he would deal with him tried to push their way into his mind, but all he thought was, _later_. Later, he would deal with Naraku. Later, he would kill him.

When they reached a city with a good clinic, Kagome was looked over. She had roused from unconsciousness, and was asking all sorts of questions to both the doctor and Inuyasha. Not that the doctor understood. Inuyasha explained everything to her while the doctor spoke choppy English to Kagome.

Kagome attempted to speak English with him, but even that was a bit iffy. And she had no idea how to speak Portuguese. Inuyasha also refused to be separated from Kagome, not even when the doctor asked Kagome to sit on the examination table. Inuyasha pulled up the chair with a loud scraping noise on the floor, and held her hand the entire time the doctor checked out Kagome's general health. When it came to the health of the baby, however, they needed more advanced equipment to tell if any damage was done, and Kagome and Inuyasha agreed that it was much too early in the pregnancy to tell if anything was wrong with the fetus.

When the doctor released her, they reached the problem of payment. Inuyasha had no money with him, and Kagome certainly had no money with her. Inuyasha sighed and took out his cell phone. He called Miroku, asked for the number on his credit card. He watched as the nurse typed it in, and it was processed.

"Yeah, it worked, thanks," Inuyasha said into the phone. "Now, get online and get me any two tickets out of here and back home. The soonest flight you can find, all right? I don't care how much… Well, just don't make it _too _expensive." Inuyasha hung up.

He put the phone back into his pocket, and his arm went around Kagome's shoulders to pull her to his side. He buried his face into her hair, breathing in the scent. Kagome leaned into him a little more, comforted by his gesture. The arm around her shoulders made her feel much more secure than walls made of steel surrounding her.

When they were free to leave, Inuyasha stood outside with her, waiting for Miroku to call back. Both found the blistering heat to be annoying, but they continued to wait outside. Inuyasha took off his red jacket that had been tied around his waist with his shirt, and put it over Kagome's head.

"I know it's stifling hot," Inuyasha murmured, "but it'll keep the sun off of your head. It's better than getting sunstroke." Kagome pulled the flaps apart, sucking in a breath.

"Yeah… Thanks," Kagome murmured. Inuyasha started to pant as the minutes passed.

"I'm sorry," Kagome said quietly. Inuyasha was startled, and turned to her, his mouth still open in a pant.

"What?"

"You heard me," Kagome said sourly. "I shouldn't have gone walking alone. Especially in my 'maybe' condition. Although it's not really a 'maybe' situation anymore, now. And of course, I had to get kidnapped and play the damsel in distress, and wait until you came to save me—"

"Kagome, none of this is your fault," Inuyasha said with a sigh. "You know it just as well as I do. Now, if you _knew _Kagura was waiting for you, and you went to take a walk anyway, _then _I would have been pissed. But as we both know, you had no clue that Kagura was waiting for you on a damn feather. Stupid bitch," Inuyasha muttered. He left Kagome to decide who he was referring to as the "stupid bitch." Kagome gave him a faint smile.

"Thanks Inuyasha. I don't know what I would have done without you," Kagome said with a smile, and squeaked when Inuyasha swept her up into a fierce embrace, despite the heat. "Inuyasha?"

"Kagome, _I _don't know what _I _would have done without you," Inuyasha said tightly in a thick voice. "I was scared… _really _scared for the first time in my life…"

"Liar," Kagome said teasingly, her hand rubbing his ear in a comforting manner. "I know you were scared of me plenty of times."

"Never," Inuyasha mumbled, and Kagome felt his lips curve at her shoulder. He kissed the shoulder, and stepped back. "Don't ever go anywhere without me. I don't think I could stand another experience like this," Inuyasha said seriously.

"You can't keep me in a cage, Inuyasha," Kagome said with a sigh. Inuyasha snorted.

"I can if I have to throw you into a large box with a pillow," Inuyasha threatened.

"Inuyasha…"

"Shut up, you bitch. You must have taken at least a couple of centuries off of my life," Inuyasha grumbled. She gave him an apologetic smile.

"Sorry," Kagome said sincerely, reaching out a hand. He met it midway with his own, enveloping her small hand in his larger one.

"Let's go back inside. This heat is killing me," Inuyasha said after a silent moment of understanding. Kagome smiled and nodded.

"Okay. Let's go."

Oh my goodness. Kagome was _pregnant_. Inuyasha watched her practically inhale food. He winced when he reached for a sandwich and got his hand slapped.

"It's not for you," she snapped, and continued to devour.

"But I'm hungry!" Inuyasha whined, although the curve of his lips told Kagome that he was more amused. Now that they were back in Japan, Kagome was eating while Inuyasha was getting things from the moving truck. He was permanently moving into her home, although Kagome's grandfather had demanded they get married first. Inuyasha had disagreed, saying this was important so that he could keep an eye on her. That had kept her grandfather at bay, but now that Inuyasha was moved in, her grandfather would start his complaints about marriage again.

She had nearly torn her grandfather's head off when she learned how he had blamed Inuyasha for everything. Her grandfather had looked properly ashamed, and had gruffly apologized to the hanyou. Kagome had not managed to hear the "Evil demon," that her grandfather had muttered as he walked away.

Kagome had also quit her job, and she heard that Myouga was close to tearing his extra legs off. After Kagome quit, her secretary, Kanna, had quit as well. Myouga was now short-handed, and Kagome was tempted to return to help him out, but the thought of Inuyasha's job kept her away. She went with him to the radio station, and came back with him.

The threat of Inuyasha being exposed kept her near him. If anything of the sort happened, she wanted to be with him. And, of course, Kagome's kidnapping had been reported to the police, so if Inuyasha's identity got out, there would also be hell to pay with the media. The police were currently investigating Naraku's house, but hadn't found any incriminating information, except the old smell of blood. The only thing other than that was disturbing and suspicious was Naraku's disappearance.

However, Naraku must have decided to stay silent, although the reason for doing so was lost on the people that knew his real character. Naraku had a reason for staying silent. There was no other explanation. In the future, it would benefit Naraku more to keep silent than to tell Inuyasha's real identity now.

Kagome finished the last bite of food, leaned back, and patted her stomach. "I think I want some ice cream," she murmured.

"You're getting fat," Inuyasha said. He was instantly hit on the head by her metal spoon. "What the hell was that for?"

"What do you _mean_ what was that for? You just called me fat!" Kagome said, then burst out into tears. Inuyasha's ears flattened on his head, and he got a panicked expression on his face.

He hadn't meant to make her cry! He had expected her to get angry, and she had, only with tears! He didn't know how he was going to survive her pregnancy without ending up feeling like shit.

"I didn't really mean that! I mean… I just meant you look pregnant!" Inuyasha threw out. Kagome stopped crying abruptly, fixing a wet glare at him.

"Of _course _I look pregnant! I _am _pregnant!" And to his frustration, she broke out into tears again. He simply scooped her up and sat down, placing her in his lap. He held her in his lap as he stroked her hair. She quieted, sniffling, and she buried her face against his neck.

"I don't know what's wrong with me these days," Kagome hiccupped. "I feel so _emotional_. And I think I _should _be getting morning sickness, but I'm not. I have to go ask the doctor about that…" Kagome rattled off the things she needed to do, and he half-listened, but was too preoccupied tracing patterns on her slightly rounded belly to really pay attention.

Inuyasha hadn't made love to her since she had come back. After they came back to Japan, Inuyasha couldn't handle the physical separation, and reassured himself with what he later said was a selfish gesture. Never mind that she had enjoyed it just as much, if not more, than he had. Now, he was worried he might hurt the baby. They still hadn't found out if any of the things she had been exposed to had affected the baby or not.

"…and… Are you listening to me, Inuyasha?"

"Mm-hm…" Inuyasha leaned down to nose the shell of her ear, and his eyes became heavy-lidded. Kagome sighed with the pleasure of his nuzzling, and turned her head slightly to give him a kiss. They both sank into it, but Inuyasha pulled away. Kagome sighed, frowning.

"I think the baby's fine," Kagome said, pouting. Inuyasha laughed, nipped her nose and making her yelp.

"Don't be a bitch, Kagome. If there's any chance that I might hurt the baby, I'm not going to take it," Inuyasha said seriously. Kagome sighed.

"I know. I wouldn't let you, either. I was just joking," Kagome said ruefully. Inuyasha laughed. "Inuyasha, you have to promise me something," Kagome said drawing back and looking at Inuyasha in the eyes. He looked at her warily.

"Depends on the promise," Inuyasha said slowly. Kagome smiled.

"You have to promise that when I'm big with our baby to the point where I can't even see my feet and I'm groaning and moaning about back aches, you'll still find me sexy," Kagome said with a big smile. Inuyasha laughed, pulled her close to land a long and deep kiss onto her mouth.

"Love, I don't think that'll change no matter what or who you look like," Inuyasha murmured. "Besides… I think I find you _sexier_ when you're pregnant," Inuyasha growled, his mouth going over the fabric over her shirt on her shoulder to bite down with his teeth lightly.

"Do you really?" Kagome murmured, slightly distracted by his scraping teeth.

"Mm… You… glow with this… energy… It's _quite_ sexy," Inuyasha said, grazing his teeth over her pulse point. He felt it jump and smiled against her skin.

"Well, that's good to know," she mumbled, tilting her head back, but Inuyasha pulled her away.

"So when do you want to get married?" Inuyasha asked. "I already have the marriage license, so all we need is someone to perform the ceremony. Your family, Sango, Miroku, and whoever else you want to invite. That should be good enough, right? Small, simple, short…"

"How 'bout this weekend?" Kagome suggested. Inuyasha raised a brow at her.

"Kind of a short notice, isn't it?" Inuyasha asked. Kagome raised a brow right back at him.

"So?"

Inuyasha stared at her for a moment, then began to chuckle. "Okay. Yeah. Sure. It's going to be a hectic week, but that's all right. It gives me something to talk about on the radio anyway."

"Happy to give you something to gossip about," she said with a slight smile. Then she frowned. "Oops. I have to pee. Mind helping me up?" With a sigh, Inuyasha helped her to her feet, and watched her walk off.

Picking at her leftovers and making a face as he smelled tuna, he smiled softly as he wondered how he had gotten such a perfect life.

Now all he had to do was find Naraku, and go from there.

**wk**: Why did I name this chapter "Hanging" you ask? Well, first of all, thanks for asking, Billybob Joe Bob. I named it such an appropriate title, since I kind of left you guys _hanging _about Naraku. Where did he go? Where does he live? Does he come back to Japan? Does he get caught? Does Kagome have a girl or a boy? Will Inuyasha be a good daddy? Will they have their wedding? Will Kagome come to see that sequins are _in _right now? And, of course: Why didn't Naraku tell Inuyasha's secret as revenge?

I assume those are the questions that will be asked. Now, I know that normally, authors do not divulge any secrets. I, however...

Will continue on with that tradition, and not reveal anything, **suckers**! Just kidding. But I'm really not going to tell anyone squat, as I don't really have an idea for the sequel either. It'll come to me, though.

Anyways, I will now thank **EVERYONE **who **EVER **reviewed...

Again, I'm just joking. I haveshortened the **_RoR_**, since there were just too many people who reviewed, and it severely cut into the story. I thank you all for giving me so many reviews to write back to, and I hope no one is offended that I'm cutting it short. I will now only answer reviews with questions that need an answer, or just the reviews that I think deserve a comment.

**_THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE READERS, WHO MADE THIS STORY COME ALONG SUCH A LONG WAY_**. When I started the story, I never expected it to get the response it did. I'm glad it did, and I'm very honored. I hope the sequel will do just as well, and I will (hopefully) see you all there!

(Shortened) **_ReViEw oF rEvIeWs_**:

Haha... No, **Daddy's Pixie**... I am not any type of pimp, so I don't think I'm going to whore her off... whatever that means. If that means she's going to have sex with anyone other than Inuyasha, than no.

Yep! I was going to do that already, **Sango the lecher slayer**! I _need _to go back and edit a couple of things here and there. Some of my writing has changed drastically too, so when I'm done with my other two Inuyasha stories, and I have _time_, I'll get my ass on it right away!

Haha. I like answering the reviewers, but unfortunately, I'm going to have to cut them short, since it takes too long to scroll down to the bottom. If you have any questions or anything like that, I'll answer them, **evilinupunk**! I hope you're not offended or anything like.

Don't you mean update, **dvgw4u**?

Haha... I don't expect rainbow-like compliments all the time, **ArtemisMoon**. Besides, it's not like you went out of your way to call me a stupid, arrogant, blah blah blah that can't write and should go sleep in a sewer where I will be eaten alive by rats... Unless it was implied by context? Haha!

So sorry to be cutting off the **_ReViEw oF rEvIeWs_** now, **Liz**! I wish I _could _comment on every single review, but it takes me about a week to just reply to everyone! And I'm sure everyone would like their udpates sooner... I hope you're not offended!

Well, to be completely honest, I never watched the shows including the band of seven, so I didn't really know which ones were the nicest, and so forth. I just knew they were all bloodthirsty, so I kind of closed my eyes and randomly picked a name with my finger, **Karinu**. Hehe...

You won't be kayzer anymore, **kayzer**? Well, just inform me of your new name, and I'll try to get a look at your story when I find... some... what's it called? Oh yeah: "time."

**wk**: By the way, **_THANKS FOR HELPING ME HIT 900_**! I believe I'm at 940 reviews now... I am truly impressed by the love all of you have for my story! I thank _EVERYONE _for being such fans, and for supporting my story throughout the whole thing...!

Remember everyone: There's a _SEQUEL_!


	18. Another AN

Okay, I didn't think I was going to do an author's note, but… I think I might have to.

The sequel _is _out, for those of you that haven't read the first chapter yet, it's called "Don't Touch that Dial: 102.5 FM is Back!" Thanks to **Cutie Pie Hentai **for the wonderful suggestion.

Also, I have a bone to pick with a reviewer named **kags**. I don't really care if you didn't like the story, but to say that I suck without giving a premise for your obvious dislike, I have to say that I'm a little miffed at you. I can take constructive criticism, but please, don't be demeaning. I'm not saying everyone has to like the story either. If you don't like it, great. If you do, even better. But I'd like to see you write a well-plotted story while going to college and trying to keep certain relationships intact. Next time you say I suck, just word it better, okay?

And I did _not _notice that, **Queen Tatooine**. Wow. Where would I be without devoted readers like you? Absolutely lost, that's where I'd be. When I'm done with all of my stories, I will be going through everything and trying to fix it. Thanks so much for the point out!

If I could get you to beta for me, **raven wings xx**, that would be _awesome_. I know I make a lot of grammatical errors, mostly because my fingers just get ahead of my brain. I type pretty fast, so I skip over letters and words, commas, etc., all the time. E-mail me about it, and we'll talk!

And I'm sorry, but I don't have the time to answer some questions, and other things. I will try to edit this post, and try to add more things later, but I need to get to class. College has been a pain in the ass, actually, and I've been running around hectic. I've also been getting sick lately, so I've been at the hospital also.

If there are any specific questions you would like answered please e-mail me or leave a comment. I will eventually get to it.

Thanks so much everyone! I love you all, and don't forget: the sequel is "**Don't Touch that Dial: 102.5 FM is Back!**"

--whoknoez


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